Which of the following compounds dissolves in water to form a solution with pH below 7?

Among the given options, the only compound that dissolves in water to form a solution with pH below 7 is ammonium chloride (NH4Cl). When NH4Cl is dissolved in water, it dissociates into ammonium ions (NH4+) and chloride ions (Cl-). The ammonium ion, NH4+, is the conjugate acid of a weak base (NH3), and it reacts with water to form hydronium ions (H3O+). This reaction produces an acidic solution with a pH below 7. On the other hand, sodium tetraoxosulphate (VI) (Na2SO4), potassium hydroxide (KOH), and sodium trioxocarbonate (IV) (Na2CO3) are all basic compounds. When they are dissolved in water, they dissociate to form hydroxide ions (OH-) which react with water to form hydroxide ions (OH-) and hydronium ions (H3O+). This reaction produces an alkaline solution with a pH greater than 7.