Chapter 14 · Acids and Bases
14.5Reactions of Acids and Bases
10 min · two checks
Predict
What are the products when HCl neutralizes KOH?
The idea
- Write neutralization products.
- Predict the gas when an acid meets a carbonate.
Neutralization of an acid with a metal hydroxide produces a salt and water. The salt’s cation comes from the base and its anion from the acid. H₂SO₄ + 2 KOH → K₂SO₄ + 2 H₂O. With a carbonate, the products are a salt, carbon dioxide, and water. With a hydrogen carbonate (baking soda), the same gas appears. These are the reactions behind antacid tablets that fizz: the tablet’s carbonate or hydrogen carbonate consumes excess stomach acid and releases CO₂.
Net ionic equations strip spectators. Strong acid plus strong base collapses to hydronium plus hydroxide forming water, no matter which strong pair you chose. If the acid is weak, leave it unsplit: CH₃COOH + OH⁻ → CH₃COO⁻ + H₂O. Writing every acid as fully split hides the difference between strong and weak, which is the next major idea.
Keep these
- Acid + metal hydroxide → salt + water.
- Acid + carbonate → salt + CO₂ + water.
- Strong + strong net equation: H⁺ + OH⁻ → H₂O.