Question

can you explain in which reaction does water become a base and in which an acid because it is amphoteric

Answer 1

hmm..
first case here H2O behaves as base
HIO3 + H2O <--> IO3- + H3O+
u see the nature of base is to gain electron

here H20 behave as acid
ClO3- + H2O <--> HClO3 + OH-
here H20 loses electron

bythe above its prove that water is amphoteric

Answer 2

Hi Heena,

I may be mistaken - but I think you mean "proton" instead of electron?

Going by the Bronsted-Lowry theory of acids and bases...a base is a proton acceptor, and an acid is a proton donor. The equations you wrote are perfect to show this.