Which among the following salt solutions is basic in nature?

Options

A. Ammonium chloride
B. Ammonium sulphate
C. Ammonium nitrate
D. sodium acetate

Answer

To determine which among the given salt solutions is basic in nature, we need to analyze each salt's hydrolysis and the resulting pH of the solution.

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Salts**: The salts we need to analyze are:
- Ammonium chloride (NH4Cl)
- Ammonium sulfate ((NH4)2SO4)
- Ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3)
- Sodium acetate (CH3COONa)

2. **Analyze Ammonium Chloride (NH4Cl)**:
- When NH4Cl dissolves in water, it dissociates into NH4⁺ and Cl⁻ ions.
- NH4⁺ can undergo hydrolysis:
\[ NH4^+ + H2O \rightleftharpoons NH4OH + H^+ \]
- Since NH4⁺ is the conjugate acid of a weak base (NH3), the solution will be acidic.

3. **Analyze Ammonium Sulfate ((NH4)2SO4)**:
- Dissociates into 2 NH4⁺ and SO4²⁻ ions.
- NH4⁺ hydrolyzes similarly as above:
\[ NH4^+ + H2O \rightleftharpoons NH4OH + H^+ \]
- Again, the presence of NH4⁺ leads to an acidic solution.

4. **Analyze Ammonium Nitrate (NH4NO3)**:
- Dissociates into NH4⁺ and NO3⁻ ions.
- NH4⁺ hydrolyzes as before:
\[ NH4^+ + H2O \rightleftharpoons NH4OH + H^+ \]
- This solution is also acidic due to the presence of NH4⁺.

5. **Analyze Sodium Acetate (CH3COONa)**:
- Dissociates into Na⁺ and CH3COO⁻ ions.
- CH3COO⁻ can undergo hydrolysis:
\[ CH3COO^- + H2O \rightleftharpoons CH3COOH + OH^- \]
- Since CH3COO⁻ is the conjugate base of a weak acid (acetic acid), this results in the production of OH⁻ ions, making the solution basic.

6. **Conclusion**:
- Among the given salts, sodium acetate (CH3COONa) is the only salt that produces a basic solution upon hydrolysis.

### Final Answer:
The salt solution that is basic in nature is **Sodium Acetate (CH3COONa)**.