We demonstrate that a simple kinetic model describes the transport of protons across lipid bilayer membranes by the weak acid CCCP (carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone). Four parameters characterize this model: the adsorption coefficients of the anionic and neutral forms of the weak acid onto the interface (beta A and beta HA) and the rate constants for the movement of A- and HA across the membrane (kappa A and kappa HA). These parameters were determined by equilibrium dialysis, electrophoretic mobility, membrane potential, membrane conductance, and spectrophotometric measurements. From these equilibrium and steady state measurements on diphytanoyl phosphatidylcholine/chlorodecane membranes we found that beta A = beta HA = 1.4 10(-3) cm, kappa A = 175 s-1 and kappa HA = 12,000 sec-1. These parameters and our model describe our kinetic experiments if we assume that the protonation reactions, which occur at the interfaces, remain at equilibrium. The model predicts a single exponential decay of the current in a voltage-clamp experiment. The model also predicts that the decay in the voltage across the membrane following an intense current pulse of short duration (approximately 50 nsec) can be described by the sum of two exponentials. The magnitudes and time constants of the relaxations that we observed in both voltage-clamp and charge-pulse experiments agree well with the predictions of the model for all values of pH, voltage and [CCCP].