[dagr8est]

Hmm I'm having a disagreement with my lab partner over the parent acid and base of Ca(NO₃)₂.  We both agree that the parent acid is HNO₃, but one of us thinks that the parent base is CaOH⁺ and the other thinks its Ca(OH)₂.  Can someone clear this up?

[AWK]

Salts are formed by metals, oxides or hydroxides from the cation side, and oxides or acids (sometimes nonmetals) from the anion side. Hence you can start from
4Ca + 10HNO3 = 4Ca(NO3)2 + NH4NO3 + 3H2O
CaO + 2HNO3 = Ca(NO3)2 + H2O
Ca(OH)2 + 2HNO3 = Ca(NO3)2 + 2H2O

Calcium hydroxide dissociates completely in water solution. This cause that CaOH+ is something exotic formula, but "parent base" also..

[dagr8est]

Sorry, I didn't understand what you said in that last sentence.  What does "exotic formula" mean?  Are you saying that CaOH⁺ and Ca(OH)₂ could both be the parent base?