Which chemical property occurs when solid sodium acetate, NaC2H3O2(s), is added to water?

• A. The solution becomes acidic due to the release of acetic acid.
• B. A precipitate forms as sodium acetate reacts with water to produce sodium hydroxide.
• C. The solid dissolves and the solution becomes basic due to hydrolysis of the acetate ion.
• D. No change occurs; sodium acetate is insoluble in water.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the nature of sodium acetate (NaC2H3O2) as a salt formed from a strong base (NaOH) and a weak acid (acetic acid, HC2H3O2).
2. Recall that when such salts dissolve in water, they dissociate completely into their ions: sodium ions (Na\^+) and acetate ions (C2H3O2\^-).
3. Understand that sodium ions (Na\^+) are spectator ions and do not affect the pH of the solution significantly.
4. Focus on the acetate ion (C2H3O2\^-), which can undergo hydrolysis by reacting with water to form acetic acid (HC2H3O2) and hydroxide ions (OH\^-), increasing the solution's basicity.
5. Conclude that the dissolution of sodium acetate in water results in a basic solution due to the hydrolysis of the acetate ion, making the solution basic rather than acidic or neutral.