[gavindor]

For HCl in water, is H3O+ the arrhenius acid (like with bronsted) ?

It was pointed out to me in an earlier thread..

That for HCl dissolved in water,  it's H+(aq) + Cl-(aq)

And H+(aq) is  H3O+(aq)

And the Bronsted Acid, is H3O+(aq). Not HCl(aq). 

The concept with Bronsted Lowry, is a species donating an H+

So fine for Bronsted Lowry, the acid is H3O+   (Unless we were talking about HCl(g) in which case there are molecules of HCl and then the bronsted acid is HCl).

I'm wondering what the situation is though with Arrhenius theory, whether the acid would also be considered to be H3O+? Or if it has to be the thing that produced H3O+ when added to water - so the HCl(g)? 

Also, for the Bronsted case, I suppose one could say HCl(g) + H2O(l) --> H3O+(aq) + Cl-(aq)   Conjugate pairs  HCl/Cl-,  H2O/H3O+.  But HCl(aq) wouldn't be a bronsted acid because it's not a species.  And a bronsted acid/base has to be a species.