What do you understand by the term 'auto-protolysis' of water? What is its significance?

Answer

N/a

Explanation

Auto-protolysis means self ionsisation of water.
`underset("Acid"_(1))(H_(2)O(l)) + underset("Base"_(2))(H_(2)O(l)) hArr underset ("Acid"_(2))(H_(3)O^(+) (aq))+ underset("Base"_(1))(OH^(-) (aq))`
Due to auto -protolysis, water is amphoteric in nature. It reacts with both acids and bases
e.g., `" "underset("Acid"_(1))(H_(2)O(l)) + underset("Base"_(2))(NH_(3) (aq)) to underset("Acid"_(2))(NH_(4)^(+) (aq)) + underset("Base"_(1))(OH^(-)(aq))`
`underset("Base"_(1))(H_(2)O(l)) + underset("Acid"_(2))(H_(2)O(l)) to underset ("Acid"_(1))(H_(3)O^(+) (aq))+ underset("Base"_(2))(HS^(-) (aq))`