\nThe leveling effect is used to explain why, in H2<\/sub>O, the strongest acid that can exist is H3<\/sub>O+<\/sup>, while the strongest base is OH–<\/sup>.<\/p>\n \nIf you imagine an acid from the Lewis point of view (see my post about Lewis acids and bases here<\/a>), an acid can accept an electron pair. A very strong acid will accept one from an H2<\/sub>O molecule. Then, to maintain its number of lone pairs, same H2<\/sub>O, now bonded to an extra species via one of its lone pairs, will shed one of its hydrogens as H+<\/sup>. That H+<\/sup> will join with a H2<\/sub>O to become H3<\/sub>O+<\/sup>, now the active acid.<\/p>\n A strong Lewis base will offer its lone pair to one of the hydrogens of a H2<\/sub>O molecule, effectively removing the H from the H2<\/sub>O. OH–<\/sup> is now the effective base.<\/p>\n Source:<\/p>\n chem.libretexts.org<\/a><\/p>\n opentextbc.ca<\/a><\/p>\nJack of Oracle Tutoring by Jack and Diane,<\/a> Campbell River, BC.\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Tutoring chemistry, concepts are important. The tutor mentions the leveling effect. The leveling effect is used to explain why, in H2O, the strongest acid that can exist is H3O+, while the strongest base is OH–. If you imagine an acid …<\/p>\n