Final answer:
A solution of table salt (NaCl) in water is neutral because it is formed from the neutralization of a strong acid by a strong base, and neither of the dissociated ions are capable of altering the pH of the solution.
Step-by-step explanation:
A solution of table salt (NaCl) in water is, indeed, neutral. This is because table salt is a compound that results from the neutralization of hydrochloric acid (HCl), which is a strong acid, by sodium hydroxide (NaOH), which is a strong base. When NaCl dissolves in water, it dissociates into sodium ions (Na+) and chloride ions (Cl−), neither of which are capable of hydrolyzing, or reacting with water to form hydrogen ions (H+) or hydroxide ions (OH−), which would be necessary to alter the pH of the solution.
As a result, the solution remains neutral with a pH of 7. For comparison, salts derived from a strong acid and a weak base would make the solution acidic, whereas those derived from a weak acid and a strong base would make it basic. Hence, the neutrality of a salt solution can be predicted based on the acid-base properties of its component ions.