Through examples discovered in the sections on acids and also bases proton-transfer procedures are broken into two hypothetical steps: (1) donation of a proton by one acid, and (2) accept of a proton by a base. (Water offered as the base in the acid example and as the mountain in the base example
You are watching: What is transferred between a conjugate acid-base pair
Suppose we an initial consider a weak acid, the ammonium ion. When it donates a proton to any kind of other species, we deserve to write the half-equation:
\< \textNH_4^+ \rightarrow \textH^+ +\textNH_3\>
The submicroscopic representations listed below show the donation of the proton that ammonium. The remove of this proton results in NH3, which is easily seen in ~ the submicroscopic level.

But NH3 is one of the link we recognize as a weak base. In other words, when it donates a proton, the weak acid NH4+ is transformed right into a weak base NH3. One more example, this time starting with a weak base, is listed by fluoride ion:
\<\textF^- + \textH^+ \rightarrow \textHF\>
The submicroscopic representation above shows how the addition of a proton come fluoride converts a weak base (F- in green) right into a weak acid (HF).

The case just explained for NH4+ and NH3 or because that F– and HF uses to every acids and bases. At any time an mountain donates a proton, the acid transforms into a base, and whenever a base accepts a proton, an acid is formed. One acid and also a base which differ just by the visibility or lack of a proton are dubbed a conjugate acid-base pair. For this reason NH3 is dubbed the conjugate base of NH4+, and also NH4+ is the conjugate mountain of NH3. Similarly, HF is the conjugate acid of F–, and F– the conjugate base of HF.
The usage of conjugate acid-base pairs enables us to make a very an easy statement about relative strengths of acids and also bases. The more powerful an acid, the weaker its conjugate base, and, vice versa, the more powerful a base, the weaker that conjugate acid.
TABLE \(\PageIndex1\):Important Conjugate Acid-Base Pairs.
See more: How Can I Make My Nipples Bigger And Longer? (Photo) Check Up: Your Way To Bigger Nippleswhat is transferred between a conjugate acid-base pair