* Ammonium (NH₄⁺) is not an acid in itself. It's a cation, meaning it has a positive charge. However, it can act as a weak acid in solution. This is because it can donate a proton (H⁺) to water molecules:
NH₄⁺ + H₂O ⇌ NH₃ + H₃O⁺
* Hydroxide (OH⁻) is not a base in itself, it's an anion, meaning it has a negative charge. However, it's a strong base in solution. It directly accepts protons (H⁺) from water molecules:
OH⁻ + H₂O ⇌ H₂O + OH⁻
Key Points:
* Acids donate protons (H⁺).
* Bases accept protons (H⁺).
* Cations are positively charged ions.
* Anions are negatively charged ions.
So, while Ammonium and Hydroxide are not acids and bases in themselves, they can act as such in solution.
