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Acids, Bases & Salts

Degree of Hydrolysis

The fraction of a salt's ions that have reacted with water at equilibrium.

Formula / equation h = √(Kh / c)
Unit Dimensionless

In depth

Like the degree of ionisation, it increases on dilution and with temperature, since hydrolysis is endothermic. Salts of very weak acids or bases hydrolyse extensively, and salts of both a weak acid and a weak base can hydrolyse almost completely.

Examples in the real world

Aluminium sulfate hydrolyses so extensively that its solution is visibly cloudy with hydroxide.