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how come MgCl is base??
- Thread starter atlanta213
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It's a strong cation. Think about it like this, without getting to technical or theoretical (because I can't anymore) . . . acidity as we generally think about it based on how much H+ shows up (usually within the context of an aqueous environment - but not necessarily). So basically whatever physical-chemical forces are at work that would cause the H+ dissociation would be less strong in the presence of a strong cation like Mg2+ simply because of the balance of charges - ie. there is less need to have the charge provided by H+, therefore less of it will dissociated and the pH will be higher.
Your chemistry professor would probably shot me for explaining it like that, but the concept is helpful when thinking about what's going on.
What gave you the idea that MgCl is a bse it is a salt, that forms a basic solution because it is diprotic while the acid is monoprotic and since both acid and base are strongn both fully dissociate.
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from your last question and this one, I think you are studying that part of G chemistry that talks about the " salts dissolve in water and give Basic or acid to the solution" .
first correct your formula: Mg(Cl)2 is correct not MgCl
it is very easy follow me:
1-for each salt you have one cation and one anion for example for this question you will have Mg+2 as cation and Cl- as an anion.
2- add OH- to your cation and H+ to your anion then you will have
Mg(OH)2 base
HCl Acid
3- compare those two which one is stronger and which one is weaker( acidic and basic) in simple words ask yourself HCl is strong acid or weak acid and same question about basic for Mg(OH)2, then stronger will dominate for this question I think both are strong and it will be natural
but for your another question(NaHCO3) for sure is basic
NaOH strong Base
H2CO3 weak Acid
just remeber solution will be weak(base or Acid)
hope it helped 🙂
