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In a liquid-liquid extraction, why would we wish to form the salt of a base or acid with the portion in the aqueous solution? What do we do with this salt?

a) To increase solubility; discard it
b) To decrease solubility; filter it
c) To improve extraction efficiency; discard it
d) To facilitate separation; extract it further

User DrGeneral
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Final answer:

In liquid-liquid extraction, salt formation increases extraction efficiency by improving the solubility of the component, thereby aiding in its further extraction rather than discarding.

Step-by-step explanation:

In a liquid-liquid extraction, we form the salt of a base or acid to increase the solubility of the component in the aqueous solution which ultimately facilitates separation. After forming the salt by the reaction of the base or acid with an appropriate counter-ion, the increased solubility due to the formed ionic species allows for better extraction efficiency. This means after forming the salt, we aim to extract it further rather than just discard it. The salts formed can sometimes create a complex ion which increases solubility even more, aiding in the extraction process.

User Kosmas Papadatos
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