Protolyzed

Protolyzed is a term used in chemistry to describe a substance that has undergone protolysis, which is a chemical reaction where a proton (H+) is transferred from one molecule or ion to another. This process is fundamental to acid-base chemistry. When an acid is dissolved in a solvent, it can donate a proton to the solvent or another species, thereby becoming protolyzed. Conversely, a base accepts a proton and also undergoes a form of protolysis. The extent to which a substance is protolyzed depends on its acid or base strength and the nature of the solvent. In aqueous solutions, water can act as both an acid and a base, participating in the protolysis of dissolved solutes. For example, when hydrochloric acid (HCl) is dissolved in water, it donates a proton to a water molecule, forming a hydronium ion (H3O+) and a chloride ion (Cl-). This reaction is a protolysis of HCl. Similarly, when ammonia (NH3) dissolves in water, it accepts a proton from water, forming an ammonium ion (NH4+) and a hydroxide ion (OH-), which is also a protolysis reaction involving ammonia. The concept of protolysis helps explain the behavior of acids and bases in various chemical environments and is crucial for understanding equilibrium reactions and reaction mechanisms.