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Equilibrium

Question
CBSEENCH11006571

Discuss the salt hydrolysis in the following cases:
(i) Salts of strong acid and strong base
(ii) Salts of strong acid and weak base
(iii) Salts of weak acid and strong base
(iv) Salts of weak acid and weak base.

Solution

(i) Salts of strong acid and strong base:
When a salt of the strong acid and a strong base (say NaCl) is dissolved in water, the resulting solution is neutral having pH equal to 7. The hydrolysis of the salt can be represented as:
NaCl space plus space aq space rightwards harpoon over leftwards harpoon space space space space Na to the power of plus space plus space Cl to the power of minus
space space space space space straight H subscript 2 straight O space space rightwards harpoon over leftwards harpoon space space space straight H to the power of plus space plus space OH to the power of minus
The space overall space process space will space be
space space space space space NaCl space plus space straight H subscript 2 straight O space space rightwards harpoon over leftwards harpoon space space space Na to the power of plus space plus space Cl to the power of minus space plus space straight H to the power of plus space plus space OH to the power of minus

i.e. there is the only dissociation of sodium chloride and no hydrolysis.
(ii) Salts of strong acid and weak base:
When a salt of the strong acid and a weak base is dissolved in water, it gives an acidic solution having pH value less than 7. For example hydrolysis of NH4Cl can be represented as:
   NH subscript 4 Cl space plus space straight H subscript 2 straight O space space rightwards harpoon over leftwards harpoon space space space NH subscript 4 OH space plus space HCl
or space space space NH subscript 4 superscript plus space plus space Cl to the power of minus space plus space straight H subscript 2 straight O space rightwards harpoon over leftwards harpoon space space NH subscript 4 OH space plus space straight H to the power of plus space plus space Cl to the power of minus
The overall reaction will be
NH subscript 4 superscript plus space plus space straight H subscript 2 straight O space space rightwards harpoon over leftwards harpoon space space space space NH subscript 4 OH space plus space straight H to the power of plus
i.e. it is a cationic hydrolysis.
(iii) Salts of weak acid and strong base:
When a salt of weak acid and a strong base is dissolved in water, it gives a basic solution having pH greater than 7. For example hydrolysis of sodium acetate can be represented as:
space CH subscript 3 COONa space plus space straight H subscript 2 straight O space rightwards harpoon over leftwards harpoon space space CH subscript 3 COOH space plus space NaOH
space or space space space CH subscript 3 COO to the power of minus space plus space Na to the power of plus space plus space straight H subscript 2 straight O space rightwards harpoon over leftwards harpoon space space CH subscript 3 COOH space plus space Na to the power of plus space plus space OH to the power of minus
   The overall reaction will be
 CH subscript 3 COO to the power of minus space plus space straight H subscript 2 straight O space space rightwards harpoon over leftwards harpoon space space space CH subscript 3 COIOH space plus space OH to the power of minus
i.e. it is an anionic hydrolysis.

(iv) Salts of weak acid and weak base:
When a salt of weak acid and a weak base is dissolved in water, it forms an almost neutral aqueous solution having value almost equal to 7. For example, hydrolysis of ammonium acetate can be represented as:
CH subscript 3 COONH subscript 4 space plus space straight H subscript 2 straight O space space rightwards harpoon over leftwards harpoon space space CH subscript 3 COOH space plus space NH subscript 4 OH
The overall reaction will be
CH subscript 3 COO to the power of minus NH subscript 4 superscript plus space plus space straight H subscript 2 straight O space space rightwards harpoon over leftwards harpoon space space space CH subscript 3 COOH space plus space NH subscript 4 OH
i.e. it involves both anionic as well as cationic hydrolysis.