Which of the following is a salt?

Which of the following is a salt?

• A. NaCl
• B. HCl
• C. NaOH
• D. H2SO4

Answer: (A)

A salt is an ionic compound formed when an acid reacts with a base, leaving behind ions that make up the salt. In common table salt, sodium chloride, the ions are Na+ from the base and Cl− from the acid, and it readily dissociates into these ions in solution. This combination of a metal (or basic cation) with a nonmetal or polyatomic anion fits the salt definition. The other substances are acids or bases: HCl and H2SO4 are acids, providing protons in solution, and NaOH is a base, providing hydroxide. They do not fit the salt category by themselves. Therefore, the salt here is the compound composed of Na+ and Cl−.

A salt is an ionic compound formed when an acid reacts with a base, leaving behind ions that make up the salt. In common table salt, sodium chloride, the ions are Na+ from the base and Cl− from the acid, and it readily dissociates into these ions in solution. This combination of a metal (or basic cation) with a nonmetal or polyatomic anion fits the salt definition.

The other substances are acids or bases: HCl and H2SO4 are acids, providing protons in solution, and NaOH is a base, providing hydroxide. They do not fit the salt category by themselves. Therefore, the salt here is the compound composed of Na+ and Cl−.