Carbonate (carbonic acid) Chloride (hydrochloric acid) Citrate (citric acid) Cyanide (hydrocyanic acid) Fluoride (hydrofluoric acid) Nitrate (nitric acid) Nitrite (nitrous acid) Oxide (water) Phosphate (phosphoric acid) Sulfate (sulfuric acid) Salts with varying number of hydrogen atoms replaced by cations as compared to their parent acid can be referred to as monobasic, dibasic, or tribasic, identifying that one, two, or three hydrogen atoms have been replaced; polybasic salts refer to those with more than one hydrogen atom replaced. Examples include: Sodium phosphate monobasic (NaH2PO4) Sodium phosphate dibasic (Na2HPO4) Sodium phosphate tribasic (Na3PO4) Formation Salts are formed by a chemical reaction between: A base and an acid, e.g., NH3 + HCl → NH4Cl A metal and an acid, e.g., Mg + H2SO4 → MgSO4 + H2 A metal and a non-metal, e.g., Ca + Cl2 → CaCl2 A base and an acid anhydride, e.g., 2 NaOH + Cl2O → 2 NaClO + H2O An acid and a base anhydride, e.g., 2 HNO3 + Na2O → 2 NaNO3 + H2O In the salt metathesis reaction where two different salts are mixed in water, their ions recombine, and the new salt is insoluble and precipitates. For example: Pb(NO3)2 + Na2SO4 → PbSO4↓ + 2 NaNO3 Strong salt Strong salts or strong electrolyte salts are chemical salts composed of strong electrolytes. These ionic compounds dissociate completely in water. They are generally odorless and nonvolatile. Strong salts start with Na__, K__, NH4__, or they end with __NO3, __ClO4, or __CH3COO. Most group 1 and 2 metals form strong salts. Strong salts are especially useful when creating conductive compounds as their constituent ions allow for greater conductivity. Weak salt Weak salts or "weak electrolyte salts" are, as the name suggests, composed of weak electrolytes. They are generally more volatile than strong salts. They may be similar in odor to the acid or base they are derived from. For example, sodium acetate, CH3COONa, smells similar to acetic acid CH3COOH. See also Bresle method (the method used to test for salt presence during coating applications) Carboxylate Fireworks/pyrotechnics (salts are what give color to fireworks) Halide Ionic bonds Natron Salinity References Mark Kurlansky (2002). Salt: A World History. Walker Publishing Company. . Chemical compounds Alchemical substances