It depends upon the hydrolysis of the salt.
For anions, such as CN^- in Ca(CN)2, the CN^- is hydrolyzed as follows:
CN^- + HOH ==> HCN + OH^- so the solution is basic because it frees up OH^-. What about Ca^2+. It USUALLY is considered as not hydrolyzing.
NaHPO4 is similar:
HPO4^- + HOH ==> H2PO4^- + OH^-; again OH ion are freed up to make a basic solution while the H2PO4^- is a weak acid.
NH4F is one where both cation and anion hydrolyze to give
NH4^+ + F^- + HOH ==> 2H2O + NH3 + HF
Since both are weak the solution will be acid, basic, or neutral depending which is the stronger. In this HF a stronger acid and NH3 is a base so the solution will be acid.
How would you know if a salt will produce a neutral, acidic or basic solution? I am quite confused. I know you first break them up into their ions but I don't know what to do next. For example:
NaH2PO4= acidic soln
Mg(HSO4)2= neutral soln
Ca(CN)2= basic soln
NH4F= acidic soln
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