Question

Name a salt of a strong acid like \[HN{{O}_{3}}\] and a weak base like \[N{{H}_{4}}OH\]. Represent the reaction that takes place.

Answer 1

Hint: A salt formed from a strong acid and a weak base is an acidic solution. It occurs because when a salt dissociates, the conjugate acid of the weak base will donate a proton to water and form hydronium.

Complete step by step solution:
Salts can be classified as:
Acidic salt: It is a salt formed by partial or incomplete neutralization of a dibasic or tribasic acid such as \[{{H}_{2}}C{{O}_{3\,}}\], \[{{H}_{2}}S{{O}_{4}}\] etc. The common examples of such salts are sodium bicarbonate (\[NaHC{{O}_{3}}\]) and sodium dihydrogen phosphate (\[Na{{H}_{2}}P{{O}_{4}}\]).
Basic salt or alkali salts: It is a salt formed by the partial neutralization of a strong base by a weak acid. They form a basic solution rather than being neutral. When hydrolysis of basic salt occurs, the conjugate base of the weak acid is formed. For example, Sodium acetate (\[C{{H}_{3}}COONa\]).
Double salts: It is a salt that crystallizes as a single substance but on ionization it gives two salts. For example, Carnallite (\[KMgC{{l}_{3}}.6{{H}_{2}}O\]).
Mixed salts: It is salt which contains a fixed proportion of two salts. They often share common cation or anion. For example, sodium chloride.
Now in the given question strong acid like \[HN{{O}_{3}}\] reacts with \[N{{H}_{4}}OH\], when a strong acid reacts with a weak base, an acidic salt is formed. Here the base cannot neutralize the acid completely.
The reaction which takes place:
\[HN{{O}_{3}}\,+\,N{{H}_{4}}OH\,\to \,N{{H}_{4}}N{{O}_{3}}\,+\,{{H}_{2}}O\]
Thus, the salt ammonium nitrate is formed.

Therefore, from the above statements we can conclude that the salt formed is ammonium nitrate.

Note: Ammonium nitrate is ammonium salt of nitric acid. It is mainly used as fertilizer, in explosives or as an oxidizing agent. If it comes in contact with flames it explodes violently. It decomposes very easily in nitrous oxide and water vapor.