Explain why an aqueous solution of sodium sulphate is neutral

Learning Objectives • To identify oxidation–reduction reactions in solution. The term oxidation was first used to describe reactions in which metals react with oxygen in air to produce metal oxides. When iron is exposed to air in the presence of water, for example, the iron turns to rust—an iron oxide. When exposed to air, aluminum metal develops a continuous, transparent layer of aluminum oxide on its surface. In both cases, the metal acquires a positive charge by transferring electrons to the neutral oxygen atoms of an oxygen molecule. As a result, the oxygen atoms acquire a negative charge and form oxide ions (O 2−). Because the metals have lost electrons to oxygen, they have been oxidized; oxidation is therefore the loss of electrons. Conversely, because the oxygen atoms have gained electrons, they have been reduced, so reduction is the gain of electrons. For every oxidation, there must be an associated reduction. Therefore, these reactions are known as oxidation-reduction reactions, or "redox" reactions for short. Any oxidation must ALWAYS be accompanied by a reduction and vice versa. Originally, the term reduction referred to the decrease in mass observed when a metal oxide was heated with carbon monoxide, a reaction that was widely used to extract metals from their ores. When solid copper(I) oxide is heated with hydrogen, for example, its mass decreases because the formation of pure copper is accompanied by the loss of oxygen atoms as a volatile product (water vapor...

I'm currently taking chemistry 12. On our test we were asked, when given a $0.1~\mathrm$ ) is invalid or flawed. As a physics teacher turned chemistry teacher, I cannot be 100% sure, but I think the answer is getting at the complex formed with water. $$\ce$ (protons) into the solution, decreasing the pH slightly. Long story short, the ultimate cause of non-neutral pH in the solutions of some salts is Which acids or bases are strong and which are weak is determined by looking up their The precipitation is not all that important, as hydrolysis of most common salts rarely goes all the way up to metal hydroxide. For example, $\ce$. As for the spectator ions, that's a lame argument indeed. There is no such thing as "spectator ion in general". True, certain ions are spectators in certain reactions, but there is no ion that would always remain a spectator, no matter what the situation is. As for the $\begingroup$ @Jan okay I found the answer I accidentally skipped over it the first time. Still wondering why my argument would be invalid though. From albapa's answer, it seems that the concentration isn't high enough for precipitation to occur, but Ivan's answer doesn't seem to take the fact that Mg(OH)2 precipitates into account at all. $\endgroup$ Technically, the magnesium ion will act as a weak acid and thus magnesium chloride solutions are going to be at least slightly acidic. However, the acidity will be less than that with most transition metal chlorides, and at least in dilu...

\( \newcommand\) • • In Electrolytes Substances whose solutions conduct electricity are called electrolytes. All soluble ionic compounds are strong electrolytes. They conduct very well because they provide a plentiful supply of ions in solution. Some polar covalent compounds are also strong electrolytes. Common examples are HCl, HBr, HI and H 2SO 4, all of which react with H 2O to form large concentrations of ions. A solution of HCl, for example, conducts even better than one of NaCl having the same concentration. Figure \(\PageIndex\). When an electrolyte dissolves, each type of ion makes an independent contribution to the current the solution conducts. This can be seen by comparing NaCl with KCl, and NaI with KI. In each case the compound containing K + conducts about 0.2 mA more than the one containing Na +. If we apply this observation to Na 2CO 3 and K 2CO 3, each of which produces twice as many Na + or K + ions in solution, we find that the difference in current is also twice as great—about 0.4 mA. Thus conductivity measurements confirm our statement that each ion exhibits its own characteristic properties in aqueous solutions, independent of the presence of other ions. One such characteristic property is the quantity of electrical current that a given concentration of a certain type of ion can carry. Example \(\PageIndex\): Ions At 18°C a 0.001- M aqueous solution of potassium hydrogen carbonate, KHCO 3, conducts a current of 1.10 mA in a cell of the same design as ...

Water and neutral solutions Water molecules can break down into hydrogen ions and hydroxide ions. \[H_(aq)\] This is a reversible reaction. A small proportion of water molecules break up to form hydrogen ions and hydroxide ions. Some of these hydrogen and hydroxide ions then react together again to form water molecules. This is called an equilibrium and is present in water and all aqueous solutions. In water and neutral solutions, the concentration of hydrogen ions is equal to the concentration of hydroxide ions. All acidic solutions contain more hydrogen ions than hydroxide ions. All alkaline solutions contain more hydroxide ions than hydrogen ions. Diluting acids and bases Adding water to an acid or base will change its pH. Water is mostly water molecules so adding water to an acid or base reduces the concentration of ions in the solution. When an acidic solution is diluted with water the concentration of H + ions decreases and the pH of the solution increases towards 7. To make the pH change by 1, a tenfold dilution is required (eg adding 9 cm 3 of water to 1 cm 3 acid). The acid is becoming less acidic. Similarly, when an alkali is diluted with water the concentration of OH - ions decreases. This causes the pH of the alkali to fall towards 7, making the solution less alkaline as more water is added.