[dnbwise]

I am not clear on how to write the equation given an acid. The question reads as follows: Write the balanced chemical equation for the following Bronsted-Lowry acids.

a) H3PO4 b) C6H5COOH c) HSO4-

for part a) the answer is H3PO4(aq) + H20(l) <-> H30+(aq) + H2PO4-(aq). I am unclear how I would deduce that the H3PO4 plus the water makes the H2PO4- ion.

[xiankai]

read up the definition of a B.L. acid first, which is a proton(H+) donor.