- #1
fire9132
- 5
- 0
Homework Statement
Why do bases lose all of their hydroxides at once?
Homework Equations
N/A
The Attempt at a Solution
Polyprotic acids lose their hydrogen atoms in a step-wise fashion, but bases with multiple hydroxides do not do this. I'm not quiet sure why this occurs, but I think that it's because of the structure of the bases compared to the structure to the acids. If I had Sulfuric Acid and added it to water, it would form bisulfate ions (along with protons). If I had Calcium Hydroxide and added water, it would form Calcium ions and hydroxide ions. Is this because Ca(OH) isn't stable? The bisulfate ions are stable, but Ca(OH) isn't because the Ca essentially has just one valence electron and it would just be better for it to lose the other OH and become Ca2+? I'm not sure. Could someone tell me if my explanation is correct or if I'm completely wrong? Thanks!