Ammonium carbonate, (NH4)2CO3, is considered a basic salt.
When dissolved in water, ammonium carbonate undergoes hydrolysis and produces ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH) and carbonic acid (H2CO3). Ammonium hydroxide is a weak base, while carbonic acid is a weak acid. The presence of ammonium hydroxide gives the solution basic properties, making ammonium carbonate a basic salt.
The reaction can be represented as follows:
(NH4)2CO3 + H2O → 2NH4OH + H2CO3
In summary, ammonium carbonate is classified as a basic salt due to the presence of ammonium hydroxide formed upon its hydrolysis.