Salts

What you know:
-the strong acids
-the weak acids
-the weak (molecular) bases - like NH3
KaKb = Kw
cations = +ve ions
anions = -ve ions

Consider the acid HNO3 (aq), the nitrate ion (NO3-) is the anion from a strong acid
Consider the acid HClO(aq), the hypochlorite ion (ClO-) is the anion from a weak acid
Consider the weak molecular base NH3, NH4+ is the conjugate acid of the weak molecular base
the charts on page 803 can help the identification process

General Salt Rules
anions
-anions of strong acids are neutral (if you know the strong acids then you know the six neutral anions)
-anions of weak acids are basic (If it didn't come from a strong acid, then it came from a weak acid....)
cations
-conjugate acids of weak molecular bases are acidic
-alkali/alkaline earth ions are neutral
except Be2+ = acidic and high charge density ions like Al3+; also acidic

Using the above rules, salts can be identified as acidic basic or neutral.
Consider KCl (K+ & Cl-)
    K+ is neutral (alkali metal); Cl- = neutral (anion of strong acid)
    -salt is neutral
Consider NH4NO3
    NH4+ = acidic (conjugate of weak molec base); NO3- = neutral (anion of strong acid)
    -salt is acidic

NaClO = a basic salt (due to the ClO- anion; from a weak acid)

Question: Determine the pH of a 0.100M NaClO solution:
llbm equn: ClO-(aq)  +  H2O  <=>  HClO(aq)  +  OH-(aq)
use ICE chart to organize info
Kb expression** {it is a base afterall....:<}
-solve for x where x = [OH-]
-solve for pOH, then pH
-simple, right.....?
**since the question requires Kb - it must be available somewhere....
back to the top - for a weak and its conjugate, their respective Ka & Kb values are connected: KaKb=Kw
-Kw=1.0x10^-14
-Ka for HClO is on the p803 chart
-via KaKb=Kw, the value for Kb can be determined

Follow-up Questions  P 588(1bc,2,3,4)
-now about the acidity/basicity of a metal oxide...., what about a nonmetal oxide...hmmm - Google anyone?

With all of this examination of K, a knock-knock joke:  Knock, knock     Who's There?     Cow-go    
Cow-go Who?    No, Cow go MOO!!!