Textbook Problem

You have three solutions labeled A, B, and C. You know only that each contains a different cation—Na⁺, NH₄⁺, or H₃O⁺. Each has an anion that does not contribute to the solution pH (e.g., Cl⁻). You also have two other solutions, Y and Z, each containing a different anion, Cl⁻ or OH⁻, with a cation that does not influence solution pH (e.g., K⁺). If equal amounts of B and Y are mixed, the result is an acidic solution. Mixing A and Z gives a neutral solution, whereas B and Z give a basic solution. Identify the five unknown solutions. (Adapted from D. H. Barouch: Voyages in Conceptual Chemistry, Boston, Jones and Bartlett, 1997.)