Acids

Lesson 6
Acid Rain &
Hydrolysis
 Acid Rain

The cause of Acid Rain is the release of acid anhydrides into the
environment.

Acid Anhydrides are nonmetal oxides.

NO2 N2O4 automobile pollution

SO2 SO3 coal & smelter pollution

SO3 + H2O → H2SO4(aq) Rain

Acid Rain has pH < 5

Normal Rain has pH = 6 due to dissolved CO2

CO2 + H2O → H2CO3

Acid rain dissolves metal, limestone, concrete structures.

Acid rain decreases the pH of lakes and causes toxic metals to leach into
them.
 Hydrolysis of Salts

Salts can be acidic, basic, or neutral.

1. Neutral Salts

Consider NaCl

The neutralization equation used to produce NaCl will tell us what

kind of salt it is.
 Hydrolysis of Salts

Salts can be acidic, basic, or neutral.

1. Neutral Salts

Consider NaCl

The neutralization equation used to produce NaCl will tell us what

kind of salt it is.

→ NaCl + HOH
 Hydrolysis of Salts

Salts can be acidic, basic, or neutral.

1. Neutral Salts

Consider NaCl

The neutralization equation used to produce NaCl will tell us what

kind of salt it is.

H + OH → NaCl + HOH
 Hydrolysis of Salts

Salts can be acidic, basic, or neutral.

1. Neutral Salts

Consider NaCl

The neutralization equation used to produce NaCl will tell us what

kind of salt it is.

HCl + NaOH → NaCl + HOH

 Hydrolysis of Salts

Salts can be acidic, basic, or neutral.

1. Neutral Salts

Consider NaCl

The neutralization equation used to produce NaCl will tell us what

kind of salt it is.

HCl + NaOH → NaCl + HOH

strong acid strong base neutral salt

 Hydrolysis of Salts

Salts can be acidic, basic, or neutral.

1. Neutral Salts

Consider NaCl

The neutralization equation used to produce NaCl will tell us what

kind of salt it is.

HCl + NaOH → NaCl + HOH

strong acid strong base neutral salt

When the acid and base parents are both strong the salt is always
neutral.
-
A neutral salt will dissociate in water.
NaCl → Na+ + Cl- no ions to hydrolyze- neutral

Cross off the both ions that come from strong parents as they do not
hydrolyze or react further with water- they are neutral.
 Hydrolysis of Salts

Salts can be acidic, basic, or neutral.

2. Basic Salts

Consider NaCN
 Hydrolysis of Salts

Salts can be acidic, basic, or neutral.

2. Basic Salts

Consider NaCN

H + OH → NaCN + HOH
 Hydrolysis of Salts

Salts can be acidic, basic, or neutral.

2. Basic Salts

Consider NaCN

HCN + NaOH → NaCN + HOH

 Hydrolysis of Salts

Salts can be acidic, basic, or neutral.

2. Basic Salts

Consider NaCN

HCN + NaOH → NaCN + HOH

weak acid strong base basic salt

 Hydrolysis of Salts

Salts can be acidic, basic, or neutral.

2. Basic Salts

Consider NaCN

HCN + NaOH → NaCN + HOH

weak acid strong base basic salt

A basic salt will first dissociate in water

NaCN → Na+ + CN- negative ion left- basic

Cross off the Na+ because it has a strong parent and does not
hydrolyze- it is neutral

Then the CN- ion, from the weak parent, will hydrolyze (react with
water) as a Bronsted base.

CN- + H2O ⇄ HCN + OH-

 Hydrolysis of Salts

Salts can be acidic, basic, or neutral.

3. Acidic Salts

Consider NH4Cl

→ NH4Cl
 Hydrolysis of Salts

Salts can be acidic, basic, or neutral.

3. Acidic Salts

Consider NH4Cl

HCl + NH3 → NH4Cl

 Hydrolysis of Salts

Salts can be acidic, basic, or neutral.

3. Acidic Salts

Consider NH4Cl

HCl + NH3 → NH4Cl

strong acid weak base acid salt

 Hydrolysis of Salts

Salts can be acidic, basic, or neutral.

3. Acidic Salts

Consider NH4Cl

HCl + NH3 → NH4Cl

strong acid weak base acid salt

An acidic salt will first dissociate in water

NH4Cl → NH4+ + Cl- positive ion left- acidic

Cross off the Cl- because it has a strong parent and does not hydrolyze-
it is neutral
Then the NH4+ ion, from the weak parent, will hydrolyze (react with
water) as a Bronsted acid.

NH4+ + H2O ⇄ H3O+ + NH3

 Hydrolysis of Salts

Salts can be acidic, basic, or neutral.

4. Acidic Salts

Consider FeCl3

3HCl + Fe(OH)3 → FeCl3 + 3HOH

strong acid weak base acid salt

FeCl3 → Fe3+ + 3Cl- positive ion left- acidic

The Fe3+ ion is an acid

Fe(H2O)63+ ⇄ H+ + Fe(H2O)5(OH)2+

You can copy these complex reactions right off the acid chart!