Difference between revisions of "Salt"
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| − | A salt in chemistry is a solid at room temperature, made of metal-ions and non-metal-ions. It can only dissolve in polar solvents like water. | + | A salt in chemistry is a solid at room temperature, made of metal-ions and non-metal-ions<sup>1</sup>. It can only dissolve in polar solvents like water. |
Some salts are pH neutral (eg. NaCl = rock salt used for cooking), some are basic (eg. NaOH) and some are acidic (eg. NaH<sub>2</sub>PO<sub>4</sub>). | Some salts are pH neutral (eg. NaCl = rock salt used for cooking), some are basic (eg. NaOH) and some are acidic (eg. NaH<sub>2</sub>PO<sub>4</sub>). | ||
Some salts are very solvable, some are almost insolvable. The higher the temperature of the solvent, the more of a salt can dissolve. | Some salts are very solvable, some are almost insolvable. The higher the temperature of the solvent, the more of a salt can dissolve. | ||
Not everything that is ionized in water is a salt. HCl (a [[strong acid]]), and vinegar CH<sub>3</sub>COOH (a [[weak acid]]), form ions as well, but are molecular substances. | Not everything that is ionized in water is a salt. HCl (a [[strong acid]]), and vinegar CH<sub>3</sub>COOH (a [[weak acid]]), form ions as well, but are molecular substances. | ||
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| + | <sup>1</sup> There are a few exeptions to this rule. NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup>, the ammonium-ion forms salts without a metal-ion (eg NH<sub>4</sub>Cl, salmiac salt). | ||
Revision as of 15:55, 11 January 2014
A salt in chemistry is a solid at room temperature, made of metal-ions and non-metal-ions1. It can only dissolve in polar solvents like water. Some salts are pH neutral (eg. NaCl = rock salt used for cooking), some are basic (eg. NaOH) and some are acidic (eg. NaH2PO4). Some salts are very solvable, some are almost insolvable. The higher the temperature of the solvent, the more of a salt can dissolve.
Not everything that is ionized in water is a salt. HCl (a strong acid), and vinegar CH3COOH (a weak acid), form ions as well, but are molecular substances.
1 There are a few exeptions to this rule. NH4+, the ammonium-ion forms salts without a metal-ion (eg NH4Cl, salmiac salt).
