1. Salt Formation:
* Acid-Base Reaction: Sodium dihydrogen phosphate is formed by the reaction of a strong base (sodium hydroxide, NaOH) with a weak acid (phosphoric acid, H₃PO₄).
* Neutralization: The reaction results in the neutralization of one proton (H⁺) from phosphoric acid, forming the salt NaH₂PO₄.
2. Acidic Nature:
* Dihydrogen Phosphate Ion: NaH₂PO₄ dissociates in solution, releasing the dihydrogen phosphate ion (H₂PO₄⁻).
* Proton Donation: This ion can further donate a proton (H⁺) to act as an acid:
* H₂PO₄⁻ ⇌ H⁺ + HPO₄²⁻
In summary:
* NaH₂PO₄ is a salt because it's formed by a neutralization reaction between an acid and a base.
* NaH₂PO₄ is an acid because it can donate a proton (H⁺) in solution.
Key takeaway: Many compounds can exhibit both acidic and basic properties depending on their structure and the conditions they are in. This dual nature is common in substances with acidic and basic functional groups.
