Bases Note that in order for an acid to act like an acid, there needs to be something for it to react with. There needs to be something to take the proton. There needs to be a base . A base is a proton acceptor . Compare this to the definition that an acid is a proton donor.
Bases are the opposite of acids.
Bases are basic because they take or accept protons . Hydroxide ion, for example can accept a proton to form water. Br nsted and Lowry realized that not all bases had to have a hydroxide ion. As long as something can accept a proton it is a base. So anything, hydroxide or not, that can accept a proton is a base under the Br nsted-Lowry definition.