Salts and Its Types

Salts and Its Types

SALTS
A substance formed by the partial or complete neutralisation of hydronium ion of an acid with base is called salt. A salt essentially consists of metallic ion or ammonium ion, combined to a non-metal ion or a radical. A salt is a compound formed from an acid by the replacement of the hydrogen in the acid by a metal
Ex :    Hydrochloric acid is HCl. Now, if we replace the hydrogen (H) of this acid by a metal atom, Na, then we’ll get a salt NaCl. Salt is a general name and it does not refer only sodium chloride.
The salts of hydrochloric acid are called chlorides, sulphuric acid gives sulphates, nitric acids - nitrates, carbonic acid - carbonates, acetic acid - acetates respectively.
Salts are mostly solids. They have high melting and boiling points. Salts are usually soluble in water.
Solutions of salts in water conduct electricity. So salts are electrolytes.
Salts are ionic compounds. They contains cations and anions.

Normal Salt:
A salt formed by the complete replacement of replacable hydrogen ions of an acid by a basic radical is called normal salts.
In other words, the salts of strong acids and strong bases will form normal salts because all hydronium ions are replaced by metallic ions. (or) ammonium ions i.e., all H⁺ ions are neutralised by OH^- ions in the solution.

Examples :-
i)    Sulphuric acid : Na₂SO₄, K₂SO₄, CaSO₄, MgSO₄, Al₂(SO₄)₃, (NH₄)₂SO₄

ii)    Hydrochloric acid : KCl, NaCl₂, CaCl₂, MgCl₂

iii)    Nitric acid : NaNO₃, KNO₃, Ca(NO₃)₂, Mg(NO₃)₂

iv)    Phosphoric acid : K₃PO₄, Na₃PO₄, Ca₃(PO₄)₂, (NH₄)₃PO₄

v)    Sulphurous acid : Na₂SO₃, K₂SO₃, CaSO₃, (NH₄)₂SO₃

vi)    Carbonic acid : Na₂CO₃, K₂CO₃, MgCO₃

vii)    Acetic acid : CH₃COONa, CHCOOCa, (CH₃COO)₂Pb