ANS:B - hydrolysis

In the hydrolysis process, ions of salts react with water to produce acidity or alkalinity. Hydrolysis is a chemical reaction in which a compound reacts with water, leading to the decomposition of the compound and the formation of new substances. When salts dissolve in water, they dissociate into ions. These ions can undergo hydrolysis reactions with water molecules, resulting in the formation of acidic or alkaline solutions depending on the nature of the ions involved. For example, when a salt derived from a weak acid and a strong base dissolves in water, the resulting solution tends to be alkaline due to the hydrolysis of the anion. Conversely, when a salt derived from a strong acid and a weak base dissolves in water, the resulting solution tends to be acidic due to the hydrolysis of the cation. Overall, hydrolysis plays a crucial role in determining the pH of solutions containing dissolved salts and can influence the chemical properties of aqueous solutions.