Determine if each of the following compounds will create an acidic, basic or neutral solution.
a) LiC₂H₃O₂   b) C₆H₅NH₃Br

• A. a) acidic b) basic
• B. a) acidic b) acidic
• C. a) basic b) acidic
• D. a) basic b) basic

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the ions present in each compound. For LiC₂H₃O₂, the ions are Li⁺ and C₂H₃O₂⁻ (acetate ion). For C₆H₅NH₃Br, the ions are C₆H₅NH₃⁺ (anilinium ion) and Br⁻.
2. Determine the nature of each ion. Li⁺ is a cation from a strong base (LiOH), which does not affect pH. C₂H₃O₂⁻ is the conjugate base of acetic acid, a weak acid, and can accept protons, making the solution basic.
3. For C₆H₅NH₃Br, C₆H₅NH₃⁺ is the conjugate acid of aniline, a weak base, and can donate protons, making the solution acidic. Br⁻ is the conjugate base of a strong acid (HBr) and does not affect pH.
4. Assess the overall effect of the ions in solution. For LiC₂H₃O₂, since the acetate ion makes the solution basic, the overall solution is basic. For C₆H₅NH₃Br, the anilinium ion makes the solution acidic, so the overall solution is acidic.
5. Conclude the nature of the solutions: LiC₂H₃O₂ results in a basic solution, and C₆H₅NH₃Br results in an acidic solution.