AMPHOTEROUS Meaning and
Definition
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Amphoterous is an adjective that describes a substance or compound that has the ability to act as either an acid or a base depending on the reaction conditions. It is derived from the Greek words "amphi," meaning "both," and "teros," meaning "sides."
In chemistry, an amphoterous substance can both donate and accept protons during a chemical reaction. This property allows it to exhibit different behaviors depending on the environment or the reaction partners involved. For example, water is considered an amphoterous compound since it can act as both a proton donor (acid) and a proton acceptor (base). When it reacts with a strong acid, such as hydrochloric acid, water acts as a base by accepting a proton to form the hydronium ion. On the other hand, when it reacts with a strong base, such as sodium hydroxide, water acts as an acid by donating a proton to form the hydroxide ion.
Other examples of amphoterous compounds include certain metal oxides and hydroxides, such as aluminum oxide and zinc hydroxide. These substances can accept protons to form hydroxide ions when in the presence of strong acids, but can also donate protons to form complex ions when in the presence of strong bases.
Overall, the concept of amphoterous refers to the versatile nature of certain substances, allowing them to exhibit both acidic and basic properties depending on the circumstances.
Etymology of AMPHOTEROUS
The word "amphoterous" comes from the Greek roots "amphi-", meaning "both" or "double", and "terós", meaning "habit" or "property". In Greek, "amphoterous" (ἀμφότερος) was originally used to describe something that had two diametrically opposite properties or could assume either of two contradictory forms. The term is derived from the combination of "amphi-" and "terós" to indicate the duality or alternation of such properties or characteristics.
