Cl – is the conjugate base of — Ionic Equilibrium Chemistry Question

💡 Solution & Explanation

# Conjugate Base of $Cl^-$ A conjugate base is formed by removing a proton ($H^+$) from an acid. **Step 1:** Identify what acid would produce $Cl^-$ as its conjugate base. If $Cl^-$ is the conjugate base, then the corresponding acid must be: $\text{Acid} \rightarrow Cl^- + H^+$ **Step 2:** Determine the acid. Adding a proton to $Cl^-$ gives us: $Cl^- + H^+ \rightarrow HCl$ **Step 3:** Conclude. Therefore, $Cl^-$ is the conjugate base of **$HCl$ (hydrochloric acid)**. The conjugate acid-base pair is: $$HCl \rightleftharpoons H^+ + Cl^-$$ **Note:** Without seeing the options, option B likely contains $HCl$. Other incorrect options might include $H_2O$, $NaCl$, or $Cl_2$ — none of which produce $Cl^-$ by simple proton loss.