Acid-base reaction

An acid base reaction is a proton transfer reaction between an acid (a proton donor) and a base (a proton acceptor). It is also known as a neutralisation reaction and it exothermic (releases heat energy). In general, the products of an acid-base reaction are a salt and water.

General Chemistry

In a majority of cases, the acid and base regents will dissociate to form ions which take part in the reaction mechanism and those which form the salt. For instance, in the reaction between hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide:

HCl_(aq) - H⁺_(aq) + Cl^-_(aq) NaOH_(aq) - Na⁺_(aq) + OH^-_(aq)

Some of these ions will then partake in the proton transfer reaction, such that:

H⁺_(aq) + OH^-_(aq) - H₂O_(l)

The remaining ions will form a salt, such that:

Na⁺_(aq) + Cl^-_(aq) - NaCl_(aq)

In this case the salt will remain in aqueous (dissolved) form, however if it was insoluble it would precipitate out of the water.