Salt
Definition and meaning of Salt in chemistry.
A salt is a stable ionic compound primarily composed of a positively charged cation from a base and a negatively charged anion from an acid, which are firmly held together by strong ionic bonds.
In more detail
Salts are most typically formed through a standard neutralization reaction between an aqueous acid and an aqueous base. In their solid, dry form, salts naturally arrange themselves into highly organized, rigid crystalline lattice structures, making them generally hard and brittle with notably high melting and boiling points. When a salt is dissolved in a polar solvent like water, or when it is melted into a liquid state, its crystal lattice completely dissociates into free-moving ions. This dissociation allows the resulting solution or melt to easily conduct electricity, marking the salt as an electrolyte. While sodium chloride, or common table salt, is the most familiar everyday example, the broad chemical term actually encompasses a vast and diverse array of compounds.
Key facts
| Field | General Chemistry |
|---|---|
| Composition | Cations and anions |
| Formation | Acid-base neutralization |
| Example Formula | NaCl (Sodium Chloride) |
When hydrochloric acid (HCl) reacts with sodium hydroxide (NaOH), the resulting products are water and the salt sodium chloride (NaCl).
Frequently asked questions
Are all salts safe to eat?
No, many salts are highly toxic, such as lead(II) nitrate; only specific salts like sodium chloride are safe for consumption in appropriate amounts.
What makes a salt acidic or basic?
A salt can be acidic or basic depending on the relative chemical strengths of the starting acid and base that successfully reacted to form it.