amphoteric substances

Amphoteric substances are materials that can act as either acids or bases, depending on the situation. This means they can either donate protons (H⁺ ions) to other substances, acting like an acid, or accept protons, behaving like a base. A common example is water; it can both donate a proton to become hydroxide (OH⁻) or accept a proton to form hydronium (H₃O⁺). Amphoteric behavior is important in many chemical reactions, especially in biological systems, where it helps maintain balance in acidity and alkalinity.