No, calcium phosphate is not a neutral salt; it's a basic salt.
Calcium phosphate is formed from the reaction of a weak acid (phosphoric acid, H3PO4) and a slightly stronger base (calcium hydroxide, Ca(OH)2). When a salt is formed from a weak acid and a strong base, it undergoes hydrolysis in water, leading to a slightly basic solution.
Here's a breakdown:
- Hydrolysis: The phosphate ion (PO43-) from calcium phosphate reacts with water molecules.
- Reaction: PO43-(aq) + H2O(l) ⇌ HPO42-(aq) + OH-(aq)
- Result: This reaction produces hydroxide ions (OH-) in solution, increasing the pH and making the solution slightly basic.
Therefore, due to the hydrolysis of the phosphate ion, calcium phosphate exhibits basic properties rather than neutrality.
