Question

Question #11dcb

Answer 1

A solution made by dissolving pure table salt in water will be neutral, which implies a pH equal to 7.

Table salt is the common name of sodium chloride, or `NaCl`, which is an ionic compound formed by sodium cations, `Na^(+)`, and chloride anions, `Cl^(-)`.

When it dissolves in water, the ions it forms do not affect the concentration of hydronium ions, which is what dictates a solution's pH.

The concentrations of `H^(+)` or `OH^(-)` are not changed by the ions that make up table salt.

The ions interact with the water molecules by way of electrostatic attraction

So, if you add pure table salt to water, the pH of the resulting solution will not be different from that of water, i.e. it will remain neutral

`pH_("table salt solution") = 7`