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A white-coloured sodium salt is dissolved in water. The resulting solution shows neutral behaviour toward litmus. When aqueous silver nitrate is added to this solution, a white precipitate forms that is insoluble in dilute nitric acid. Identify the anion present in the salt.

1. CO3²-
2. Cl-
3. SO3²-
4. S²-

Correct answer: Cl-

Solution

Sodium chloride solution is neutral to litmus. AgCl is a white precipitate that does not dissolve in dilute HNO3 because HNO3 cannot shift the AgCl equilibrium (unlike Ag2CO3 or Ag2S which react with acid). The other anions either give alkaline solutions (CO3²-, S²-) or give precipitates soluble in acid (SO3²-).

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