Which of the following compounds is neutral in aqueous solution?
A. CaCl2
B. AlCl3
C. NH4Cl
D. CaO
E. Na2CO3
F. CO2
What do you mean by neutral?
For example, CaCl2 has as many + charges on the Ca ion as - charges on the Cl ion.
The same is true for B, C, D, E,
Or could you mean neutral acid/base.
The only one is CaCl2.
Or some other meaning for neutral?
To determine which compound is neutral in aqueous solution, we need to understand the concept of neutralization. In chemistry, a compound is considered neutral if its solution has a pH of 7, which means it is neither acidic nor basic.
To find the neutral compound among the options provided, we need to identify which compound will produce a neutral solution when dissolved in water. To do this, we can examine the chemical formulas and their respective ions.
Let's analyze each compound:
A. CaCl2: When CaCl2 dissolves in water, it dissociates into Ca2+ ions and 2Cl- ions, making the solution slightly acidic. Therefore, it is not neutral.
B. AlCl3: Similar to CaCl2, AlCl3 will dissociate into Al3+ ions and 3Cl- ions when dissolved in water. Thus, it will not produce a neutral solution.
C. NH4Cl: NH4Cl dissociates into NH4+ ions and Cl- ions in water. Since NH4+ is the conjugate acid of ammonia (NH3), which is a weak base, and Cl- is a spectator ion, the resulting solution is slightly acidic. Therefore, it is not neutral.
D. CaO: CaO is calcium oxide, which is an ionic compound. When it reacts with water, it forms calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2), and the solution is basic, not neutral.
E. Na2CO3: Sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) dissociates into 2Na+ ions and CO3^2- ions in water. The carbonate ion (CO3^2-) can react with water, forming HCO3- ions and hydroxide ions (OH-). Considering the hydroxide ions present, Na2CO3 will produce a basic solution, not neutral.
F. CO2: Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a gas at room temperature. When dissolved in water, it forms carbonic acid (H2CO3), which dissociates into H+ ions and HCO3- ions. These H+ ions produce an acidic solution. Therefore, CO2 is not neutral.
Based on our analysis, none of the provided compounds are neutral in aqueous solution (pH 7).