Name Date ACIDS, BASES, AND SALTS? Classify each of | Chegg.com - Free Printable

To classify each compound, I need to look at its chemical formula and identify what ions it produces or how it behaves in water.

Rules for Classification:
1. Acid: Starts with Hydrogen (H) and usually ends with a non-metal group (like Cl, SO₄, NO₃). In water, it releases H⁺ ions. Examples: HCl, H₂SO.
* *Exception:* Water (H₂O) is neutral. Hydrogen Peroxide (H₂O₂) is not typically classified as an acid in this context. Organic acids like HC₂H₃O₂ start with H but are written differently; however, they still act as acids.
2. Base: Usually contains the Hydroxide ion (OH) combined with a metal. In water, it releases OH⁻ ions. Examples: NaOH, Ca(OH)₂.
* *Note:* Ammonium hydroxide (NH₄OH) acts as a base even though it doesn't have a metal.
3. Salt: An ionic compound made of a positive ion (cation, usually a metal or ammonium NH₄⁺) and a negative ion (anion, usually a non-metal or polyatomic ion), but not H⁺ or OH⁻ as the main defining feature. It is formed from the reaction of an acid and a base. Examples: NaCl, KNO₃.

Step-by-Step Classification:

1. KCl: Potassium (metal) + Chlorine. No H, no OH. → Salt
2. HF: Starts with H. Hydrofluoric acid. → Acid
3. HCl: Starts with H. Hydrochloric acid. → Acid
4. KOH: Potassium + Hydroxide (OH). → Base
5. FeBr₃: Iron (metal) + Bromine. No H, no OH. → Salt
6. NaNO₃: Sodium (metal) + Nitrate. No H, no OH. → Salt
7. HNO₃: Starts with H. Nitric acid. → Acid
8. NaCl: Sodium (metal) + Chlorine. Common table salt. → Salt
9. CaCl₂: Calcium (metal) + Chlorine. No H, no OH. → Salt
10. NH₄Cl: Ammonium + Chlorine. No OH group acting as base here, it's an ammonium salt. → Salt
11. NaOH: Sodium + Hydroxide (OH). → Base
12. Na₂SO₄: Sodium (metal) + Sulfate. No H, no OH. → Salt
13. Mg(OH)₂: Magnesium + Hydroxide (OH). → Base
14. H₃PO₄: Starts with H. Phosphoric acid. → Acid
15. HC₂H₃O₂: Acetic acid (vinegar). Starts with H (acidic hydrogen). → Acid
16. CuCl₂: Copper (metal) + Chlorine. No H, no OH. → Salt
17. H₂SO₄: Starts with H. Sulfuric acid. → Acid
18. Ca(OH)₂: Calcium + Hydroxide (OH). → Base
19. H₂CO₃: Starts with H. Carbonic acid. → Acid
20. NH₄OH: Ammonium + Hydroxide (OH). Acts as a base. → Base
21. Al(NO)₃: Aluminum (metal) + Nitrate. No H, no OH. → Salt
22. HNO₂: Starts with H. Nitrous acid. → Acid
23. H₂S: Starts with H. Hydrosulfuric acid. → Acid
24. HBr: Starts with H. Hydrobromic acid. → Acid
25. Ba(OH)₂: Barium + Hydroxide (OH). → Base
26. NaHCO₃: Sodium + Bicarbonate. While it has H, it acts as a salt (sodium hydrogen carbonate). It is the product of neutralizing carbonic acid partially. In simple classification tasks, bicarbonates are often treated as salts, though they can be amphoteric. Given the list format, "Salt" is the standard expected answer for NaHCO₃ in introductory chemistry unless "Amphoteric" is an option. Let's stick to Salt.
27. H₂SO₄: Starts with H. Sulfuric acid. → Acid
28. NaHCO₃: Same as #26. → Salt

Verification:
* Acids: HF, HCl, HNO₃, H₃PO₄, HC₂H₃O₂, H₂SO, H₂CO₃, HNO₂, H₂S, HBr. (All start with H).
* Bases: KOH, NaOH, Mg(OH)₂, Ca(OH)₂, NH₄OH, Ba(OH)₂. (All contain OH).
* Salts: KCl, FeBr₃, NaNO₃, NaCl, CaCl₂, NH₄Cl, Na₂SO₄, CuCl₂, Al(NO₃)₃, NaHCO₃. (Metal/Ammonium + Non-metal/Polyatomic ion).

The logic holds up.

Final Answer:
1. Salt
2. Acid
3. Acid
4. Base
5. Salt
6. Salt
7. Acid
8. Salt
9. Salt
10. Salt
11. Base
12. Salt
13. Base
14. Acid
15. Acid
16. Salt
17. Acid
18. Base
19. Acid
20. Base
21. Salt
22. Acid
23. Acid
24. Acid
25. Base
26. Salt
27. Acid
28. Salt