Question

What is meant by 'a family of salts'? Explain with examples.

Answer 1

Salts having the same positive ions or the same negative ions belong to one family of salts. For example, calcium chloride (CaCl₂) and calcium sulphate (CaSO₄) belong to the same family of salts called ‘calcium salts’ because they both contain the same positively charged ions, calcium ions (Ca²⁺). Similarly, zinc sulphate (ZnSO₄) and copper sulphate (CuSO₄) belong to the same family of salts called ‘sulphate salts’ because they both contain the same negatively charged ions, sulphate ions (SO₄^2-).