# Salt

A compound made when the hydrogen of an acid is replaced by a metal. The name comes from the metal and the acid used.

Chemistry (school) · Part 06: Acids, bases and salts · Card 6 of 9 · Last updated 2026-10-19

## Analogy

A salt is the leftover partner when the acid and alkali swap.

## Example

**Naming salts**

HCl + zinc -> zinc chloride
H2SO4 + copper oxide -> copper sulfate
HNO3 + sodium hydroxide -> sodium nitrate

## In practice

Hydrochloric acid makes chlorides, sulfuric acid makes sulfates and nitric acid makes nitrates.

## Practice

### Flashcards

- **What is made in a neutralisation reaction?** A salt and water.

### Interview questions

**Describe how you would make a pure, dry sample of copper sulfate crystals from copper oxide and sulfuric acid.**

- Warm the acid and add copper oxide until no more dissolves
- Filter off the extra copper oxide
- Heat the filtrate to evaporate some water
- Leave to crystallise, then dry the crystals

## Questions people ask

### What are the other ways to make a salt?

Acids react with metals, metal oxides, hydroxides and carbonates to give a salt. Use metals for reactive metals like zinc, and oxides or carbonates for others like copper. An insoluble salt can also be made by mixing two solutions, which makes a solid called a precipitate.

### Is table salt the only salt?

No. In chemistry, a salt is any compound made when an acid's hydrogen is replaced by a metal. Table salt, sodium chloride, is one of many. Others include copper sulfate, calcium carbonate and potassium nitrate, which is used in fertilisers.

## Related concepts

- [Neutralisation](https://studyvisually.com/learn/science/chemistry-school/chemistry-school-part-6/chemistry-school-part-6-concept-5)
- [Metal and acid reaction](https://studyvisually.com/learn/science/chemistry-school/chemistry-school-part-6/chemistry-school-part-6-concept-9)

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