Which statement best describes the acid–base behavior of sodium bromide, $NaBr$, when dissolved in water?

• A. $NaBr$ is a weak base because $B{r}^{-}$ is the conjugate base of a weak acid.
• B. $NaBr$ is an acidic salt because $N^a$ hydrolyzes to produce $H^{+}$ in water.
• C. $NaBr$ is a strong base because $B{r}^{-}$ accepts $H^{+}$ strongly from water.
• D. $NaBr$ is a neutral salt (neither acidic nor basic) because it is formed from a strong base and a strong acid.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the ions that sodium bromide (NaBr) dissociates into when dissolved in water: sodium ions (Na\(\textsuperscript{+}\)) and bromide ions (Br\(\textsuperscript{−}\)).
2. Recall that the acid-base behavior of a salt in water depends on the strengths of its parent acid and base. Determine the parent acid and base for NaBr: HBr (hydrobromic acid) is the parent acid, and NaOH (sodium hydroxide) is the parent base.
3. Recognize that HBr is a strong acid and NaOH is a strong base. Salts formed from strong acids and strong bases typically do not hydrolyze in water, meaning their ions do not react significantly with water to change the pH.
4. Understand that because neither Na\(\textsuperscript{+}\) nor Br\(\textsuperscript{−}\) hydrolyzes appreciably, the solution remains neutral, and NaBr behaves as a neutral salt in water.
5. Conclude that the correct description is that NaBr is a neutral salt (neither acidic nor basic) because it is formed from a strong acid and a strong base.