NH4Cl as an acidic salt (1 Viewer)

[wrxsti]

ok, i know NH4Cl is an acidic salt becuase
NH4+ + H20 -> H30+ + NH3

production of H30+ means its acidic salt

but my question is...... in the reasoning..... would you say.... NH4+ is weak base forming strong conjugate acid.?
if this is the case.... isnt NH3 a base.?

 

[bmwz4]

ok, i know NH4Cl is an acidic salt becuase
NH4+ + H20 -> H30+ + NH3

production of H30+ means its acidic salt

but my question is...... in the reasoning..... would you say.... NH4+ is weak base forming strong conjugate acid.?
if this is the case.... isnt NH3 a base.?

yer ammonia is def a base in this case. thats not your reasoning....your reasoning that NH4Cl is an acidic salt is just that it forms hydronium ions in solution when you react your cation (NH4+). THe ammonium is acting as an acid (proton donor) hence the ammonia (NH3) is the conjugate base of the acid (ammonium).
NH4+ H2O ê NH3 + H3O+
hope that explains it

 

[xiao1985]

ditto bmwz4


1 more thing to add though:

weak acid forms weak conjugate base
strong acid froms VERY very very weak conjugate base
likewise, strong base forms VERY very very weak conjugate acid.

 

[wrxsti]

mmhmm would it be appriopriate to say....
Cl- is the weak conjugate base of the strong acid HCl.
and NH4+ is strong conjugate acid of the weak base NH3
so NH4+ preferentially reacts with water. forming a hydronium ion ?

 

[xiao1985]

mmhmm would it be appriopriate to say....
Cl- is the weak conjugate base of the strong acid HCl.
and NH4+ is strong conjugate acid of the weak base NH3
so NH4+ preferentially reacts with water. forming a hydronium ion ?

sorry for the late reply, life's been tough on me...

Cl- is a VERY weak conjugate base of HCl, and NH4+ is a weak conjugate acid would be the more correct way of putting it. Because by definition, a strong acid (or base ) need to ionise 100% (or close to 100%), and NH4+ doesn't do anything near that.

 

[wrxsti]

k thanxxxxx

 

[mitochondria]

Omg Xiaoie! You're still here

Anyhow.. wrxsti, personally I wouldn't even bother thinking that Cl^- is a weak conjugate base of a strong acid (or think of Na⁺ as a weak conjugate acid of a base).

Of course, that is technically correct - but I never even bothered thinking that So.. I'd suggest to ignore the effect of anything that comes from a strong base or strong acid and then work from there, as ions such as chloride and sodium have essential no effect on the acidity of an aqueous solution.

After all, it's only the HSC and it can't be all that confusing ^^

 

[xiao1985]

/wave @ mito

yes, i'm sure i've seen you somewhere on bos.... but where?

/thinks hard
/give up =/

 

[mitochondria]

Lol ^^ Xiaoie, I've always been hanging around the Chemistry forum on BoS And.. You piccie is still the same as four years ago ^^;

 

[xiao1985]

Lol ^^ Xiaoie, I've always been hanging around the Chemistry forum on BoS And.. You piccie is still the same as four years ago ^^;

indeed =)

(sorry about the late reply, honour's draining me alot =/)