---
title: "Salt — AP Chemistry Definition, Ksp & Common Ion Effect"
description: "In AP Chem, a salt is an ionic compound formed when an acid neutralizes a base. Salts drive Ksp and common-ion effect problems in Unit 7 solubility equilibria."
canonical: "https://fiveable.me/ap-chem/key-terms/salt"
type: "key-term"
subject: "AP Chemistry"
---

# Salt — AP Chemistry Definition, Ksp & Common Ion Effect

## Definition

In chemistry, a salt is an ionic compound that results from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base.

## Related Study Guides

- [7.12 Common Ion Effect](/ap-chem/unit-7/common-ion-effect/study-guide/z1tr3Mg2Afz6kj9yQGtc)

## Review

### Related Terms

- [Electrolyte](/ap-chem/key-terms/electrolyte): A substance that produces an electrically conducting solution when dissolved in water. Salts are examples of electrolytes.
- [Neutralization Reaction](/ap-chem/key-terms/neutralization-reaction): A chemical reaction in which an acid and a base react quantitatively with each other to produce water and a salt.
- Ionic Compound: A chemical compound composed of ions held together by electrostatic forces termed ionic bonding. The compound is neutral overall, but consists of positively charged ions called cations and negatively charged ions called anions.