Q: In the reaction between ammonia and water, how does ammonia serve as a base on the left-hand side of the equation?

In the reaction between ammonia and water, how does ammonia serve as a base on the left-hand side of the equation?

Flexi Says: An acid-base reaction according to the Bronsted-Lowry definition is a transfer of a proton from one molecule or ion to another. When ammonia is dissolved in water, it undergoes the following reversible reaction. NH₃(aq)+H₂O(l) → NH₄⁺ (aq)+ OH^- (aq). In this reaction, the water molecule is donating a proton to the ammonia molecule. The resulting products are the ammonium ion and the hydroxide ion. The water is acting as a Bronsted-Lowry acid, while the ammonia is acting as a Bronsted-Lowry base. The hydroxide ion that is produced causes the solution to be basic.