Final answer:
Salts composed of the cation from a strong base and the anion that is the conjugate base of a weak acid will produce basic solutions due to hydrolysis, which increases hydroxide ion concentration.
Step-by-step explanation:
Salts that are made from the cation of a strong base and the anion that is the conjugate base of a weak acid will produce basic solutions when dissolved in water. This is because the anion can accept a hydrogen ion (proton) from the water, which results in the formation of hydroxide ions (OH⁻) and the weak acid from which the anion is derived.
When these salts undergo a hydrolysis reaction, the anion's tendency to attract a hydrogen ion from water increases the concentration of hydroxide ions in the solution, making the solution basic. An example of this would be the dissolution of sodium acetate (NaOAc) in water. Acetate ion (OAc⁻) is the conjugate base of acetic acid, a weak acid, and upon dissolving, it reacts with water to produce OH⁻ ions and acetic acid, which results in a basic solution.