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[aero135]

how is ammonium nitrate an acidic salt! Some one please explain!

 

[Trebla]

Re: What The Fuck?

Break the ammonium nitrate into the associated acid and base used to form the salt.
NH₄NO_{3 (aq.)} --> NH₄⁺ _(aq.) + NO₃^- _(aq.)

In water NH₄⁺ behaves as an acid (easy to lose proton due to positive charge) and NO₃^- behaves as a base (easy to gain proton due to attractive negative charge), so:
NH₄⁺ _(aq.) + OH^- _(aq.) --> NH_{3 (aq.)} + H₂O _(l)
NO₃^- _(aq.) + H₃O⁺ _(aq.) --> HNO_{3 (aq.)} + H₂O _(l)

Now HNO₃ is a strong acid and NH₃ is a weak base, so their conjugate bases and acids make up the salt NO₃^- + NH₄⁺.

So NO₃^- is a weak conjugate base (as HNO₃ is a strong acid) and NH₄⁺ is a strong acid (as NH₃ is a weak base), hence the salt is acidic.

 

[aero135]

Oooo!

so HCO3- is a strong acid?

 

[Trebla]

Re: Oooo!

so HCO3- is a strong acid?

Since H₂CO₃ is a weak acid, it's conjugate base is HCO₃^- which is therefore a strong base.