Question

Which of the following salts form hydrates?
\[ CaCl_2 \qquad NaCl \qquad LiCl \qquad BaCl_2 \qquad KCl \] \[ I \qquad\quad II \qquad\quad III \qquad\quad IV \qquad\quad V \]

• A. III, IV, V only
• B. II, III, IV only
• C. II, III, V only
• D. I, III, IV only

Hint:

Salts containing small or highly polarising cations often form hydrates because they strongly attract water molecules into the crystal lattice.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Check each salt for water of crystallization.
CaCl₂ forms dihydrate and hexahydrate. LiCl (small Li⁺, high hydration energy) forms hydrates. BaCl₂ forms dihydrate. NaCl and KCl generally crystallize anhydrous under normal conditions.

Step 2: Final Answer:
I, III, IV only — CaCl₂, LiCl, BaCl₂ (option 4).