Question

Question #4589c

Answer 1

The solution will be acidic.

You're dealing with dimethylammonium chloride, which will dissociate in aqueous solution into `(CH_3)_2NH_2^(+)` and `Cl^(-)`.

`(CH_3)_2NH_2Cl(aq) -> (CH_3)_2NH_2^(+)(aq) + Cl_((aq))^(-)`

Notice that the cation is the conjugate acid of a weak base, dimethylamine, `(CH_3)_2NH`, and the anion is the conjugate base of a strong acid, `HCl`.

This means that the reaction of interest, after dimethylammonium chloride dissociates, will be

`(CH_3)_2NH_2^(+)(aq) + H_2O_((l)) rightleftharpoons (CH_3)_2NH(aq) + H_3O_((aq))^(+)`

The reaction increases the concetration of hydronium ions, which in turn will make the solution acidic.

As a conclusion, look at the cations and anions that form your salt. In this case, you were dealing with an acid salt. Here's a link detailing the acid/base properties of salts

http://www2.onu.edu/~s-bates/chem172/ABSalts12.pdf