A neutralization reaction is a chemical reaction between an acid and a base in which they neutralize each other's properties, resulting in the formation of water and a salt. This reaction eliminates the acidic and basic characteristics, producing a neutral solution. Two examples of neutralization reactions are:
- When hydrochloric acid (HCl) reacts with sodium hydroxide (NaOH), it forms sodium chloride (NaCl) and water (H2O):
NaOH+HCl→NaCl+H2O\text{NaOH}+\text{HCl}\rightarrow \text{NaCl}+\text{H}_2\text{O}NaOH+HCl→NaCl+H2O
- When sulfuric acid (H2SO4) reacts with potassium hydroxide (KOH), it forms potassium sulfate (K2SO4) and water:
H2SO4+2KOH→K2SO4+2H2O\text{H}_2\text{SO}_4+2\text{KOH}\rightarrow \text{K}_2\text{SO}_4+2\text{H}_2\text{O}H2SO4+2KOH→K2SO4+2H2O
These examples illustrate the general principle of neutralization where an acid reacts with a base to form a salt and water, effectively neutralizing each other.
