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Conjugate Base Definition

By Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D., About.com Guide

Definition: A conjugate base is the base member, X-, of a pair of compounds that transform into each other by gaining or losing a proton. The conjugate base gains or absorbs a proton in a chemical reaction.

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Examples:
The chemical reaction between a conjugate acid and a conjugate base is: HX + H2O ↔ X + H3O+

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