Safety boundary
Use virtual indicators or teacher-supervised food-safe indicator only. Never mix cleaners, household acids/bases, or unknown chemicals.
Explicit chemistry instruction
When an acid donates H+, it becomes its conjugate base.
When a base accepts H+, it becomes its conjugate acid.
Conjugate partners differ by exactly one proton and corresponding charge change.
Vocabulary: conjugate acid; conjugate base; pair; proton; charge.
Worked example
NH4+/NH3 are a conjugate acid–base pair because they differ by one H+.
Guided question
Identify the conjugate base of H2CO3 and the conjugate acid of HCO3−.
Independent work
- Mark conjugate pairs in four equations.
- Write one missing conjugate partner.
- Audit charge changes.
Misconception check
Conjugate acid/base does not mean two unrelated substances with opposite labels.
Formative check
How do conjugate partners differ?
Reveal response
By one proton.
Mentor evidence conference
Ask Archaemenes to audit proton-transfer roles, conjugate-pair logic, and model scope.
Teacher guidance
Foundation: Use paired-species tables.
Core: Identify and generate conjugate pairs.
Extended: Relate conjugate strength qualitatively.