Question

Consider the following salts:
Na₂CO₃, NaCl, NH₄Cl, CH₃COONa, K₂SO₄, (NH₄)₂SO₄
Which of salts will give:
acidic solutions?

Answer 1

The salt solutions of NH₄Cl and (NH₄)₂SO₄ give acidic solutions, because these salts are each formed from a weak base and a strong acid. The ionisation of a weak base is not complete, whereas a strong acid ionises completely. Hence, there are more H⁺ ions than OH^-  ions, making the solutions acidic.