Chemical salts II. Properties, formation and applications

07/05/2026

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

This Thematic Unit is part of our Chemistry collection

Acid Salt

Salt containing replaceable hydrogen atoms in its structure, coming from a partially neutralized polyprotic acid.

Basic Salt

Salt containing hydroxyl groups (OH⁻) in its structure due to incomplete neutralization of the base.

Double Salt

Compound containing more than one type of cation or anion in its crystal lattice, such as alum.

Hydration

Ability of some salts to incorporate water molecules into their crystal structure in a constant manner.

Neutral Salt

Salt formed by the total replacement of the hydrogens of an acid by a metal, resulting in a compound without acidic or basic character.

Neutralization Reaction

Chemical process between an acid and a base that produces a salt and water as main products.

Salt

Chemical compound formed by cations and anions through an ionic bond, typical result of the reaction between an acid and a base.

Salt Hydrolysis

Reaction of the ions of a dissolved salt with water, which can alter the pH of the solution.

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).

Acid Salt

Salt containing replaceable hydrogen atoms in its structure, coming from a partially neutralized polyprotic acid.

Basic Salt

Salt containing hydroxyl groups (OH⁻) in its structure due to incomplete neutralization of the base.

Double Salt

Compound containing more than one type of cation or anion in its crystal lattice, such as alum.

Hydration

Ability of some salts to incorporate water molecules into their crystal structure in a constant manner.

Neutral Salt

Salt formed by the total replacement of the hydrogens of an acid by a metal, resulting in a compound without acidic or basic character.

Neutralization Reaction

Chemical process between an acid and a base that produces a salt and water as main products.

Salt

Chemical compound formed by cations and anions through an ionic bond, typical result of the reaction between an acid and a base.

Salt Hydrolysis

Reaction of the ions of a dissolved salt with water, which can alter the pH of the solution.

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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

Antoine-Laurent de Lavoisier

1743

–

1794

Antoine Lavoisier estableció la ley de conservación de la masa y nombró el oxígeno e hidrógeno, sentando las bases de la química moderna

“La nada no produce nada”

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

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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”

Marie Curie

1867

–

1934

Marie Curie discovered the elements polonium and radium, introduced the concept of radioactivity, and pioneered nuclear chemistry, demonstrating that atoms were not indivisible

“In life, there is nothing to be afraid of, only to understand”

Become a giant

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

Free mode

Introduction to Solid State Chemistry

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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.