Chemical salts II. Properties, formation and applications

09/04/2026

Expand your knowledge about chemical salts, their properties, applications and formation process. The 3d molecules of chemical salts on this page shows what the molecules of Silver Arsenate, Mercuric Bromide, Strontium Phosphate, and Silver Bromide look like

What are chemical salts?

Chemical salts are ionic compounds formed from the combination of a cation with an anion. These compounds have a wide variety of uses in industry, medicine, agriculture and other fields.

Formation of chemical salts

Salts are formed through a chemical reaction between an acid and a base. During this reaction, the acid and base ions exchange charges to form a salt. For example, the combination of hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide produces sodium chloride (common salt) and water:

HCl + NaOH → NaCl + H₂O.

Properties of chemical salts

Salts can have different properties, such as melting and boiling point, solubility, density and electrical conductivity. These properties depend on the chemical structure of the salt and the forces that exist between the ions in the crystal lattice.

Applications of chemical salts

Salts are used in a wide variety of applications. For example, sodium chloride is used as a seasoning and preservative in the food industry, as a flux in metallurgy and as a raw material in the production of other chemical compounds. Aluminum sulfate is used in water purification as a coagulant and flocculant to remove impurities. Ammonium nitrate is used as a fertilizer in agriculture and as an explosive in mining.

Salts also have applications in medicine. For example, potassium chloride is used to treat hypokalemia (low potassium in the blood) and magnesium sulfate is used as a laxative and in the treatment of eclampsia (complication of pregnancy).

Explore the exciting STEM world with our free, online, simulations and accompanying companion courses! With them you’ll be able to experience and learn hands-on. Take this opportunity to immerse yourself in virtual experiences while advancing your education – awaken your scientific curiosity and discover all that the STEM world has to offer!

3d molecules of chemical salts

Silver
Mercury
Strontium
Silver II

Silver Arsenate

Silver Arsenate is an inorganic compound with the formula Ag3AsO4. It has been used in qualitative analysis to distinguish between phosphate and arsenate solutions.

Silver arsenate

Ag₃AsO₄

Single bond

Double bond

Triple bond

Wedge bond

Hash bond

Mercury (I) Bromide

Mercury (I) Bromide is a chemical compound with the chemical formula Hg2Br2. It changes color from white to yellow when heated and fluoresces salmon-colored when exposed to ultraviolet light. It has applications in acoustic-optical devices.

Mercury(I) Bromide

Hg₂Br₂

Single bond

Double bond

Triple bond

Wedge bond

Hash bond

Strontium Phosphate

Strontium Phosphate is a chemical compound with formula O8P2Sr3. It is a crystalline substance used in medicine and industry.

Strontium Phosphate

O₈P₂Sr₃

Single bond

Double bond

Triple bond

Wedge bond

Hash bond

Silver Bromide

Silver Bromide is a chemical compound, whose formula is AgBr, widely used in the field of photography due to its sensitivity to light.

Silver Bromide

AgBr

Single bond

Double bond

Triple bond

Wedge bond

Hash bond

Giants of science

“If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants”

Isaac Newton

William Henry

1774

–

1836

William Henry formulated Henry’s Law, describing how the amount of gas dissolved in a liquid is proportional to its partial pressure

“Chemistry reveals the hidden secrets in the invisible”

Dmitri Ivánovich Mendeleev

1834

–

1907

Dmitri Mendeleev formulated the periodic table of elements, organizing known ones and predicting unknown ones with remarkable accuracy.

“In science, truth is revealed sooner through errors than through confusions”

Become a giant

Your path to becoming a giant of knowledge begins with these top free courses

Free mode

Introduction to Solid State Chemistry

Free mode

Preparing for CLEP Chemistry: Part 1

Free mode

Big Bang and the Origin of Chemical Elements

Free mode

Pre-University Chemistry

Professional development for Educators

Your path to becoming a giant of knowledge begins with these top free courses

Free mode

HP Digital Skills for Educators – Microsoft 365 Copilot

Free mode

How to Learn Online

Free mode

Teaching With Technology and Inquiry: An Open Course For Teachers

Free mode

Support kids’ projects: Programming with Scratch

Giants of science

“If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants”

Isaac Newton

John Dalton

1766

–

1844

John Dalton formulated the first atomic theory, explaining the composition of matter and the law of multiple proportions in chemical compounds.

“Science is the foundation of truth”

Dmitri Ivánovich Mendeleev

1834

–

1907

Dmitri Mendeleev formulated the periodic table of elements, organizing known ones and predicting unknown ones with remarkable accuracy.

“In science, truth is revealed sooner through errors than through confusions”

Become a giant

Your path to becoming a giant of knowledge begins with these top free courses

Free mode

Introduction to Solid State Chemistry

Free mode

Preparing for CLEP Chemistry: Part 1

Free mode

Pre-University Chemistry

Free mode

Big Bang and the Origin of Chemical Elements

Professional development for Educators

Your path to becoming a giant of knowledge begins with these top free courses

Free mode

Introduction to Online Education & Course Planning

Free mode

HP Digital Skills for Educators – Microsoft 365 Copilot

Free mode

An Introduction to Evidence-Based Undergraduate STEM Teaching

Free mode

Classroom Strategies for Inquiry-Based Learning

Test your knowledge

What are the most important physical properties of salts and how are they related to their ionic structure?

Salts have characteristic properties such as high melting and boiling points, variable solubility in water, hardness, and the ability to conduct electricity in solution or when molten. These properties depend on the strength of attraction between the ions in the crystal lattice. For example, silver bromide (AgBr) has low solubility because its ions are strongly bonded, while sodium chloride (NaCl) dissolves easily and conducts electricity in solution. Knowing these properties allows us to anticipate how each salt will behave in different applications.

How do the types of ions present in a salt influence its solubility and applications?

The ions determine both the solubility and the potential uses of a salt. For example, ammonium nitrate is highly soluble and useful as a fertilizer because the ammonium and nitrate ions are nutrients that plants can absorb easily. On the other hand, silver arsenate (Ag₃AsO₄) is insoluble and mainly used in laboratories due to its reactivity, not in agriculture. Thus, the type of ion affects both the interaction with water and the practical function of the salt.

Why are some salts, like magnesium sulfate, used in medicine?

It makes sense that only certain salts have medical applications. Magnesium sulfate, for example, dissolves easily, and its ions have therapeutic effects, such as relaxing muscles or correcting magnesium deficiencies in the body. This shows that the chemical properties and solubility of a salt determine its specific uses in healthcare, and not all salts are suitable for this type of application.

How is it that potassium chloride is used both in industry and agriculture?

Potassium chloride is an example of how a single salt can have multiple applications. It is stable, relatively safe, and soluble, which makes it useful in fertilizers to supply potassium to plants. At the same time, it is used in industrial processes where a controlled source of potassium ions is required. This demonstrates that a combination of physical and chemical properties defines the scope of use for each salt.

Does it make sense that rare salts like mercurous bromide (Hg₂Br₂) or strontium phosphate (Sr₃(PO₄)₂) are used only in laboratories and not in everyday life?

Yes, because these salts have special properties or associated risks that make them unsuitable for general applications. For example, mercurous bromide (Hg₂Br₂) is toxic and reactive, while strontium phosphate has very specific uses in experiments or research. Their structure and chemical composition determine their application, showing that not all salts are interchangeable or suitable for every purpose.