What is the Difference Between Monoprotic and Diprotic Acid?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚Monoprotic and diprotic acids differ in the number of hydrogen atoms or protons they can donate to their aqueous solutions. Here are the key differences between them:
- Monoprotic Acids: These acids have only one ionizable hydrogen atom per molecule and can donate only one proton to their aqueous solution. Examples of monoprotic acids include hydrochloric acid (HCl), acetic acid (CH3COOH), and nitric acid (HNO3).
- Diprotic Acids: These acids can donate two hydrogen atoms or protons to their aqueous solution. Examples of diprotic acids include sulfuric acid (H2SO4), carbonic acid (H2CO3), and oxalic acid (H2C2O4).
All acids, including monoprotic and diprotic acids, behave the same way by donating their proton(s) to other atoms. However, the number of acidic hydrogens in a molecule does not necessarily determine the acidity of the acid. For example, hydrochloric acid (monoprotic) is much stronger than phosphoric acid (triprotic), and sulfuric acid (diprotic) is much stronger than hydrofluoric acid (monoprotic).
Comparative Table: Monoprotic vs Diprotic Acid
The main difference between monoprotic and diprotic acids lies in the number of protons they can donate. Here is a comparison table highlighting the differences:
Feature | Monoprotic Acids | Diprotic Acids |
---|---|---|
Definition | Monoprotic acids have only one ionizable hydrogen atom per molecule. | Diprotic acids have two ionizable hydrogen atoms per molecule. |
Examples | HCl (hydrochloric acid), HF (hydrofluoric acid), HBr (hydrobromic acid), HNO3 (nitric acid). | H2SO4 (sulfuric acid), H2S (hydrosulfuric acid), H2CO3 (carbonic acid). |
Strength | Monoprotic acids can be strong or weak. Hydrochloric acid (HCl) is a strong monoprotic acid, while hydrofluoric acid (HF) is a weak monoprotic acid. | Diprotic acids can also be strong or weak. Sulfuric acid (H2SO4) is a strong diprotic acid, while sulfurous acid (H2SO3) is a weak diprotic acid. |
Ionization | Monoprotic acids lose only one proton during ionization. | Diprotic acids lose two protons during ionization. |
It is essential to note that the acidity of an acid is not solely determined by the number of ionizable hydrogens. For example, hydrochloric acid (monoprotic) is stronger than phosphoric acid (triprotic), and sulfuric acid (diprotic) is stronger than hydrofluoric acid (monoprotic).
- Monoprotic vs Polyprotic Acids
- Protic Acid vs Lewis Acid
- Amphiprotic vs Polyprotic
- Ethanoic Acid vs Propanoic Acid
- Weak vs Strong Acid
- Amphiprotic vs Amphoteric
- Acetic Acid vs Propionic Acid
- Protic vs Aprotic Solvents
- Phosphoric Acid vs Citric Acid
- Methanoic Acid vs Ethanoic Acid
- Acid vs Acidic
- Isopoly vs Heteropoly Acids
- Phosphorus vs Phosphoric Acid
- Binary Acids vs Polyatomic Acids
- Weak Acid vs Dilute Acid
- Concentrated Acid vs Strong Acid
- Orthophosphoric Acid vs Phosphoric Acid
- Alkali vs Acid
- Conjugate Acid vs Conjugate Base