INORGANIC CHEMISTRY

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amphoteric

1. A compound that can behave both as an acid and as a base. For example, with strong acids aluminum hydroxide acts as a base, Al(OH)₃, forming aluminum salts. With strong bases it behaves as an acid, H₃AlO₃, forming salts containing the ion AlO₃^3-. The formation of amphoteric hydroxides is a characteristic of metalloids.


2. Compounds that contain both basic and acidic functional groups. See, for example, the amino acid glycine.

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