Conjugate Acid-Base Pairs

Conjugate acid-base pairs are related chemicals that transform into each other through the gain or loss of a proton (H⁺). When a base accepts a proton, it becomes its conjugate acid; when an acid donates a proton, it becomes its conjugate base. For example, in water, ammonia (NH₃) can pick up a proton to become ammonium (NH₄⁺), its conjugate acid. Conversely, if ammonium loses a proton, it turns back into ammonia. These pairs are fundamental in understanding how acids and bases react and balance each other in chemical processes.