Which of the following statements best describes the relationship between the strength of an acid and the strength of its conjugate base?
a) A strong acid has a strong conjugate base because both readily participate in proton transfer.
b) A weak acid has a weak conjugate base because little structural change occurs during deprotonation.
c) A strong acid has a weak conjugate base because the conjugate base is highly stabilized after deprotonation.
d) The strength of a conjugate base is independent of the strength of its parent acid.