Amphoteric substances can act as both an acid and a base.

* As an acid: They donate protons (H⁺)

* As a base: They accept protons (H⁺)

While Fe(OH)₃ can react with acids to form salts and water, it does not exhibit basic properties by accepting protons.

Here's why:

* Reaction with acids:

Fe(OH)₃(s) + 3HCl(aq) → FeCl₃(aq) + 3H₂O(l)

* No reaction with bases:

Fe(OH)₃ does not readily react with bases to form soluble complexes or release hydroxide ions (OH⁻).

Therefore, ferric hydroxide is not amphoteric.

However, it is important to note that Fe(OH)₃ can exist in different forms, such as FeO(OH) (goethite) or Fe₂O₃·xH₂O (ferrihydrite). These forms might exhibit some amphoteric behavior depending on the specific conditions.