conjugate acid

A conjugate acid is formed when a base accepts a proton (a positively charged hydrogen ion). In chemistry, bases are substances that can neutralize acids, and when they do so by gaining a proton, they transform into their corresponding conjugate acids. For example, if ammonia (a base) accepts a proton, it becomes ammonium, which is its conjugate acid. Understanding conjugate acids helps explain how substances interact in chemical reactions, particularly in acid-base chemistry, where the balance between acids and bases is crucial in many processes, including biological ones.