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Chemistry Forums for Students => High School Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: dagr8est on May 08, 2006, 12:23:20 AM

Title: Parent Acid And Base of Calcium Nitrate
Post by: dagr8est on May 08, 2006, 12:23:20 AM

Hmm I'm having a disagreement with my lab partner over the parent acid and base of Ca(NO₃)₂.  We both agree that the parent acid is HNO₃, but one of us thinks that the parent base is CaOH⁺ and the other thinks its Ca(OH)₂.  Can someone clear this up? ;D

Title: Re: Parent Acid And Base of Calcium Nitrate
Post by: AWK on May 08, 2006, 01:19:51 AM

Salts are formed by metals, oxides or hydroxides from the cation side, and oxides or acids (sometimes nonmetals) from the anion side. Hence you can start from
4Ca + 10HNO3 = 4Ca(NO3)2 + NH4NO3 + 3H2O
CaO + 2HNO3 = Ca(NO3)2 + H2O
Ca(OH)2 + 2HNO3 = Ca(NO3)2 + 2H2O

Calcium hydroxide dissociates completely in water solution. This cause that CaOH+ is something exotic formula, but "parent base" also..

Title: Re: Parent Acid And Base of Calcium Nitrate
Post by: dagr8est on May 08, 2006, 02:10:21 AM

Sorry, I didn't understand what you said in that last sentence.  What does "exotic formula" mean?  Are you saying that CaOH⁺ and Ca(OH)₂ could both be the parent base?