Question

i need help differentiating acid,bases,conjugate acid and conjugate base in any given equation

Answer 1

acids most likely will have a hydrogen

Answer 2

more than bases but it is needed

Answer 3

for example hydrochloric acid is HCl an acid but the conjugate base is the same minus one hydrogen so the pair is HCl;Cl where Cl is the base

Answer 4

Just to play Devil's advocate the way you described it is typically only for a Arrhenius definition and Bronstead-Lowry. Just because he said "any given equation" what about Lewis acid/bases?

Answer 5

Arrhenius:
acids can donate H+ (and be stable that..)
base can donate OH- (and be stable after that..)
conjugate base is the left over part of an acid when H+ has been removed.
conjugate acid is the left over part of a base when OH- has been removed.

Bronstead-Lowry
acid can donate H+
base can accept H+
conjugate base is the left over part of an acid when H+ has been removed.
conjugate acid is the product when H+ has been accepted ie is joined to the base.

Lewis acid: compounds that can accept a lone pair of electrons is called lewis acid
Lewis base: compounds that can donate a lone pair of electrons is called lewis base

Answer 6

In general you will be working with a proton-transfer reaction, in which case the answer is easy: whatever loses an H during the reaction is an acid, and whatever gains it is a base. Furthermore, whatever compound results when the acid loses its H is its conjugate base, and whatever compound results when the base acquires the H is its conjugate acid.

HA + B = A- + HB+

HA = acid
B = base
A- = conjugate base of HA
HB+ = conjugate acid of B

HB+ + A- = B + HA

HB+ = acid
A- = base
B = conjugate base of HB+
HA = conjugate acid of A-

And so on.

If you have an acid-base reaction which is NOT a proton transfer reaction, then you will need to use the Lewis definitions, but these are relatively uncommon in undergraduate chem education.