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NEET CHEMISTRYMedium

Equimolar solutions of the following substances were prepared separately. Which one of these will record the highest pH value?

A

BaCl2BaCl_2

B

AlCl3AlCl_3

C

LiClLiCl

D

BeCl2BeCl_2

Step-by-Step Solution

The pH of a salt solution depends on the hydrolysis of its constituent ions.

  1. AlCl3AlCl_3 and BeCl2BeCl_2 are salts of weak bases (Al(OH)3Al(OH)_3 and Be(OH)2Be(OH)_2) and a strong acid (HCl). They undergo cationic hydrolysis to produce H+H^+ ions, making their aqueous solutions acidic (pH < 7).
  2. LiClLiCl and BaCl2BaCl_2 are salts of strong bases (LiOHLiOH and Ba(OH)2Ba(OH)_2) and a strong acid (HCl). Generally, such salts do not undergo hydrolysis and form neutral solutions (pH = 7). However, the Li+Li^+ ion has a very small size and high charge density, giving it a much higher polarizing power than the larger Ba2+Ba^{2+} ion. Consequently, the extensively hydrated Li+Li^+ ion undergoes a very slight degree of hydrolysis, making the LiClLiCl solution slightly less basic (or very slightly acidic) compared to BaCl2BaCl_2. Thus, BaCl2BaCl_2 does not hydrolyze at all, maintaining a neutral solution (pH = 7), which is the highest pH among the given options.
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