Question

The compound whose 0.1 M solution is basic is
(A) ammonium acetate
(B) ammonium chloride
(C) ammonium sulphate
(D) Sodium acetate

Answer 1

Hint: To get the solution i.e. the compound which is more basic, you should know one important concept about salt. In acid-base chemistry, it is said that the salt will be more basic when it is composed of a strong base and weak acid only. Finding which compound is composed of a strong base and weak acid will provide you with the answer.

Complete step by step solution: 
First of all, we should know about the concept of salt.
-In acid-base chemistry, salts are considered as the ionic compounds. These ionic compounds are the product formed from the acid-base neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. And we know that salts are composed of cations (i.e. positively charged ions) and anions (i.e. negative ions).
-We should remember that basic salts are the products of the neutralization reaction between a strong base and a weak acid. So, by using this concept we can answer this question.
-So, let’s see each option to check which compound is composed of a strong base and weak acid.
-So, the first option is ammonium acetate and we know that ammonium acetate is a salt composed of a weak acid and a weak base. So, it creates a neutral solution when dissolved in water.
-In the second option, we have ammonium chloride and we know that it is a salt of weak base i.e. ammonium hydroxide and a strong acid i.e. hydrogen chloride. So, this compound will give an acidic solution.
-In the third option, we have ammonium sulphate and it is clearly known that it is a salt composed of a weak base and a strong acid. So, this compound will give an acidic solution.
-The last option has sodium acetate which is salt of a strong base that is sodium hydroxide and weak acid that is acetic acid. So, it will give a basic solution when dissolved in water.

Hence, the correct option is D.

Note: A salt is said to be basic when it is composed of a strong base and weak acid thus, giving a basic solution when it is dissolved in water. We should note that sodium acetate can prevent bacteria from cultivation in a wide range of acidic regions. It is also used as a buffer. When we want to add a sour taste to food, we generally choose acetic acid, but the combination of acetic acid and sodium acetate makes the taste mild.