Chapter 16: Problem 17
Which of the following salts would produce the most basic aqueous solution? a. \(\mathrm{NaF}\) b. \(\mathrm{KBr}\) c. \(\mathrm{NH}_{4} \mathrm{Cl}\) d. \(\mathrm{MgCl}_{2}\) e. \(\mathrm{LiNO}_{3}\)
Short Answer
Expert verified
NaF produces the most basic aqueous solution.
Step by step solution
01
Identify the Salt's Ions
Evaluate each salt to identify the cation and anion it forms in aqueous solution. For example, NaF dissociates into Na鈦 and F鈦 ions.
02
Consider the Ion's Acid-Base Properties
Determine whether the ions can react with water to form an acidic or basic solution. Typically, the conjugate base of a weak acid forms a basic solution, as it can accept protons from water.
03
Analyze \\(\mathrm{NaF}\\)
F鈦 is the conjugate base of HF, a weak acid. Therefore, F鈦 can accept protons from water, forming OH鈦 ions and creating a basic solution.
04
Analyze \\(\mathrm{KBr}\\)
Br鈦 is the conjugate base of HBr, a strong acid, and hence, it cannot effectively accept protons from water to increase the solution's basicity.
05
Analyze \\(\mathrm{NH}_{4}\mathrm{Cl}\\)
NH鈧勨伜 is the conjugate acid of NH鈧, a weak base. It donates protons to water, making the solution acidic rather than basic.
06
Analyze \\(\mathrm{MgCl}_{2}\\)
Cl鈦, like Br鈦, is the conjugate base of a strong acid (HCl) and does not increase the basicity of the solution.
07
Analyze \\(\mathrm{LiNO}_{3}\\)
NO鈧冣伝 is the conjugate base of a strong acid (HNO鈧), meaning it does not contribute to the basicity of the solution.
08
Determine the Most Basic Solution
Since F鈦 is the only anion from a weak acid among the options, NaF will create the most basic aqueous solution due to the formation of OH鈦 ions.
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Conjugate Bases
When we talk about salts and their potential to create basic solutions, the concept of a conjugate base becomes crucial. A conjugate base is what remains after an acid loses a proton. This means that the stronger the acid, the weaker its conjugate base will be at accepting protons. The experiment of determining a basic solution involves identifying the salt that can produce an anion able to accept protons from water, leading to the formation of hydroxide ions
(OH鈦).
- For instance, consider fluoride ion (F鈦) from the salt NaF. F鈦 is the conjugate base of HF, a weak acid. As such, F鈦 can effectively accept a proton, allowing for the creation of a more basic solution.
- On the other hand, bromide ion (Br鈦) comes from HBr, a strong acid, making its conjugate base weak and not inclined to accept protons. Hence, Br鈦 contributes less to basicity.
Aqueous Solutions
Aqueous solutions are those in which a solute is dissolved in water. This concept is essential for understanding salts' behavior upon dissolving in water. When a salt dissolves, it breaks down into its constituent ions. The interaction of these ions with water determines if the solution will be acidic or basic.
- For example, NaF when dissolved in water separates into Na鈦 and F鈦. It is this dissociation that allows the formation of hydroxide ions, making the solution basic.
- By contrast, MgCl鈧 dissociates into Mg虏鈦 and Cl鈦, where Chloride (Cl鈦) largely remains inert because it results from the dissociation of a strong acid (HCl) and doesn't form hydroxide ions.
Acid-Base Properties
The acid-base properties of ions derived from dissolved salts are key to understanding whether a solution will be acidic, neutral, or basic. This involves considering the original strength of the corresponding acid or base.
- An ion like F鈦 from a weak acid (HF) not only produces a basic environment but also illustrates how the original acid's weakness correlates with a greater basicity of its conjugate base.
- In contrast, ions like Cl鈦 or Br鈦, coming from strong acids, do not provide an extra source of hydroxide ions in solution and therefore, do not increase the pH.
- NH鈧勨伜, however, behaves differently as it acts as a conjugate acid of NH鈧, a weak base. NH鈧勨伜 donates protons, potentially making the solution more acidic rather than basic.