Aluminum nitrate, represented as Al(NO3)3, is considered a salt rather than a typical acid or base. When it dissolves in water, it dissociates into aluminum ions (Al3+) and nitrate ions (NO3–).
Although aluminum nitrate can produce acidic conditions in solution due to the reaction of aluminum ions with water, it does not fit the standard definitions of acids or bases. Specifically, it does not donate hydrogen ions (H+), like an acid, nor does it accept them, like a base. Instead, it forms an acidic solution because of hydrolysis, where the aluminum ions can react with water to generate H+ ions, lowering the pH.