ENGLISH FOR CHEMISTRY

ARTICLE

Hydrolysis of Salt
BY:

NI KETUT SEPMIARNI 1113031087

RKBI CLASS
SEMESTER II

CHEMISTRY EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF MATHEMATICS AND NATURAL SCIENCES
GANESHA UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION
SINGARAJA
2012

Weight
No. Aspects (%) Score Total Score
1. Writing: 60
 words 1 2 3 4
 structures 1 2 3 4
 sentences 1 2 3 4
2. Content: 40
 concept 1 2 3 4
 descriptions 1 2 3 4

Total Score
 HYDROLYSIS OF SALT
By: Ni Ketut Sepmiarni
Chemistry Education Department
Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences
Ganesha University of Education

Abstract

Salt solution is an electrolyte compound that resulted from neutralization reaction

between acids and bases. Salt soluble in water and undergo ionization, reaction
event water with ions derived from the salt is called hydrolysis. Salts have
different properties, such as acid, base, or neutral. The objective of this
experiment was to investigate acid or base properties of some salt in water. The
properties of salts are shown by change color of salt solution if test by using some
indicators.

Key words: hydrolysis of salt, salt hydrolysis

Introduction

Hydrolysis is decomposition ions of salt in water. The salts derived from weak
bases and strong acids, the solution is acidic. If the salt derived from a strong base
and weak acid, the solution is alkaline. Salts derived from strong bases and strong
acids are not hydrolyzed, so the solution is neutral. Salt derived from a weak acid
and weak base. Salts of this type have a perfect hydrolysis in water and neutral.
Salts do not always be neutral, some salt has acid or base properties. The
properties of salt solution are determined by relative concentration strength of
acids and bases. It can determine by doing experiment that use indicators and
measure pH of solution by using indicator universal. This experiment used
Phenolphthalein (PP) and Bromothymol Blue (BTB) as indicators to investigate
acid or base properties of salt solution based on colour change that shown and
trajectory of pH that produced. Acid has pH below than seven, base has pH more
than seven and neutral has pH equal to seven.

Hergenhahn & Matthew(2008:325) mentioned about education according to

Piaget theory. According to Piaget, education that optimal is need experience by
challenging to students, so process of assimilation and accommodation can
produce improvement of intellectual. He describes four principles, namely first,
sensory motor, students faced directly with environment by using their innate
reflect. Second, pre-operational, students begin to arrange simple conception.
Third, concrete operational, students use action has been arranged or thought to
solve problem in their experience. Fourth, formal operation, students can think
hypothesis situation completely. All of his principles are very important to
understand and use for learning activities for students, especially to understand
about topic hydrolysis of salt in experiment. Students individually prepare about
their experiment, by reading books, arranged experiment procedure, and creative
to think about the experiment. They will interest with their experiment and try to
solve their problem in the experiment. So, students will have improvement
intellectual and experience in doing experiment.

Materials and Method

This experiment used some chemicals, such as solid of sodium carbonate, sodium
chloride, potassium nitric, ammonium chloride, and sodium acetic, also
ammonium chloride solution 0.1 M, sodium acetic solution 0.1 M , both as
examination solution and last material is water about 80 mL . The method used in
conducting this experiment was adopted from an experiment procedure book
developed by Tjoa Koei Ham and Drs. Sjahrial Gazali (1981:65-70).

Result and Discussion

The result of the experiment is presented Table 1 as follows.

Table 1. Observation Result

Observation I

Color of Color of Properties of

Salt solution
solution on PP solution on BTB solution
Na2CO3 Fuchsia Blue Base
NaCl Colorless Green Neutral
NH4Cl Colorless Yellowiest green Acid
KNO3 Colorless Blue to green Neutral
CH3COONa Colorless Blue Base

Observation II

Salt solution pH value

NH4Cl 6
CH3COONa 8

Discussion

The first observation about colour changes of salt solution when it added
indicators, and properties of salt can be investigated. The first solution shows that
the colour of sodium carbonate if added PP indicators was fuchsia and if added
BTB indicators, colour was blue.
Based on colour change, it compared with colour of data indicators and pH
of salt solution can be determined. The pH of sodium carbonate solution is more
than seven (pH>7). So, it can be concluded that sodium carbonate solution has
base properties. This salt derived from strong base and weak acid. So, this salt
undergoes partial hydrolysis. The hydrolysis reaction can be written as follows:
CO32- (aq) + 2H2O(l) ⇌ H2CO3(aq) + 2OH-(aq)
The second solution shows that the colour of sodium chloride if added PP

indicators was colorless and if added BTB indicators, colour was green. The pH
of sodium chloride solution is equal to seven (pH=7). So, it can be concluded that
sodium chloride solution is neutral. This salt derived from strong base and strong
acid. So, this salt is not undergo hydrolysis.
The third solution shows that the colour of ammonium chloride if added

PP indicators was colorless and if added BTB indicators, colour was yellowiest
green. The pH of ammonium chloride solution is equal to seven (pH<7). So, it can
be concluded that sodium chloride solution has acid properties. This salt derived
from strong acid and weak base. So, this salt undergoes partial hydrolysis. The
hydrolysis reaction can be written as follows: NH4+(aq)+ 2H2O(l)⇌ NH3(aq)+ H+(aq).
The fourth solution shows that the colour of potassium nitrate if added PP
indicators was colorless and if added BTB indicators, colour was blue to green.
The pH of potassium nitrate solution is equal to seven (pH=7). So, it can be
concluded that potassium nitrate solution is neutral. This salt derived from strong
base and strong acid. So, this salt is not undergo hydrolysis.
 The fifth solution shows that the colour of sodium acetic if added PP
indicators was colorless and if added BTB indicators, colour was blue. The pH of
sodium acetic solution is equal to seven (pH>7). So, it can be concluded that
sodium acetic solution has base properties. This salt derived from strong base and
weak acid. So, this salt undergoes partial hydrolysis. The hydrolysis reaction can
be written as follows: CH3COO- (aq) + H2O(l) ⇌ CH3COOH(aq) + OH-(aq).

The last observation is about pH of two salts as examination. The pH of

ammonium chloride is 6. This salt has acid properties. So, it indicated pH of acid
is below than seven. The pH of sodium acetic is 8. This salt has acid properties.
So, it indicated pH of acid is more than seven.

Conclusion
Based on the discussion above, it can be concluded that not all salt undergo
hydrolysis, it depend on acid and base compound as composer. Not all salt is
neutral. Some salt has acid properties or base properties. Acid has pH below than
seven. Base has pH more than seven.

References
Chang, Raymond. 2009. Kimia Dasar Jilid 2. Jakarta: Erlangga.
Chang, Raymond. 2010. Chemistry Tenth Edition. New York: Mc Graw Hill
Company.
Hergenhahn and Matthew. 2008. Theories of Learning. Jakarta: Kencana Prenada
Media Group.
Tjoa Koei Ham and Sjahrial Gazali. 1981. Penuntun Praktikum Kimia. Bandung:
Bina Budhaya.