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Ch. 2 - Chemical Principles
Tortora - Microbiology: An Introduction 14th Edition
Tortora14th EditionMicrobiology: An IntroductionISBN: 9780138200398Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 2, Problem 9

Classify each of the molecules on the left as an acid, base, or salt. The dissociation products of the molecules are shown to help you.
NaOH → Na⁺ + OH⁻
a. Acid
b. Base
c. Salt

Verified step by step guidance
1
Identify the molecule given: NaOH (sodium hydroxide).
Look at the dissociation products: NaOH dissociates into Na⁺ (sodium ion) and OH⁻ (hydroxide ion).
Recall the definitions: Acids release H⁺ ions in solution, bases release OH⁻ ions, and salts dissociate into ions that are neither H⁺ nor OH⁻.
Since NaOH releases OH⁻ ions upon dissociation, classify it as a base.
Confirm that Na⁺ is a cation from a metal and OH⁻ is the hydroxide ion, which is characteristic of bases.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Acids, Bases, and Salts Classification

Acids are substances that release H⁺ ions in solution, bases release OH⁻ ions, and salts are ionic compounds formed from the neutralization of an acid and a base. Understanding these definitions helps classify molecules based on their dissociation products.
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Dissociation in Aqueous Solutions

Dissociation refers to the process where molecules separate into ions when dissolved in water. Identifying the ions produced, such as OH⁻ or Na⁺, is key to determining whether the original molecule is an acid, base, or salt.
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Role of Hydroxide Ion (OH⁻) in Bases

The presence of hydroxide ions (OH⁻) in the dissociation products indicates a base. For example, NaOH dissociates into Na⁺ and OH⁻, classifying it as a strong base due to the release of OH⁻ ions.
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