Acid 

Base Properties of Salt.notebook

Recall:
Acid­Base Properties  • A salt is formed from a neutralization reaction
between an acid and a base.
of Salts • Water can self-ionize: H2O -> H+ + OH-

Ex:
KOH(aq) + HBr(aq) -> K+(aq) + Br-(aq) + H2O(l)

Base Acid Cation Anion Water

Recall: Conjugate acid and bases

Cations tend to form acidic solutions because
they attract the (OH-) of the water, thereby HCl + H2O -> Cl- + H3O+

generating H+(aq). Which one is the conjugate base?

Conjugate bases of strong acids form salts that

H2O(l) + K+(aq) -> KOH(aq) + H+(aq)
do not react with water to form HCl.
Anions tend to form basic solutions because they
Similarily, the cation of a strong base (KOH)-K+
attract the H+ of the water thereby generating (OH-).
(aq) does not react with water to form KOH(aq) and
This is not a rule but a tendancy.
H+(aq).

Neutral Ions
Therefore: The salt KCl(aq) produces a
In general ions that produce neutral
solutions are: neutral solution with dissociated in water.
• Dissociated from a strong acid or base (as
seen already)
• Low charge metals such as Alkali and
Alkaline Earth Metals.
• Halogen anions and most completely
dissociated polyatomic anions.

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Acid Base Properties of Salt.notebook

Acidic Ions Other ions that form acidic solutions:

Some salts produce acidic solutions when dissolved
in water. When ammonium chloride, NH4Cl(s),
dissolves, ammonium ions behave as a weak acid.
NH4+(aq) NH3(aq) + H+(aq)
In general: if a salt contains a cation that is the
conjugate acid of a weak base, and an ion that is not a
base, the salt forms an acidic solution. Ex:NH4Cl(s)
• Highly charged metal cations such as: Fe3+,
Al3+.
• Anions that are formed from the partial
ionization of polyprotic acids. These often
still contain hydrogen (HSO4, H2PO4).

Basic Ions
KC2H3O2(s), is a highly soluble salt. When it Therefore, basic ions come from:
dissociates, K+(aq) and ethanoate ions, • the anions formed from the
C2H3O2-(aq)) ions are produced. This solution dissociation of weak acids (CN-,
is basic. C2H3O2-).
Consider the two ions produced: • Loss of cations in molecules like
K+(aq) and C2H3O2-(aq) bicarbonates, biphosphates etc.
Discuss their
possible origins:
KOH(aq) HC2H3O2(aq)

Homefun:
Page 539
Questions 1-4 (question 4 involves basic
mole ratios and pH calculations).