What is the balanced neutralization equation for sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and hydrochloric acid (HCl)?
The balanced neutralization equation for sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and hydrochloric acid (HCl) is HCl(aq) + NaOH(aq) → NaCl(aq) + H₂O(l).
Explanation:
The balanced neutralization equation for the reaction between sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and hydrochloric acid (HCl) can be represented by the following equation:
HCl(aq) + NaOH(aq) → NaCl(aq) + H₂O(l)
This reaction shows that when an acid and a base are combined, water and a salt are the products. In this case, the salt is sodium chloride (NaCl). Both NaOH and HCl are strong electrolytes and fully ionize in an aqueous solution. The net ionic reaction, which highlights the actual chemical changes occurring, simplifies to:
H+(aq) + OH⁻(aq) → H₂O(l)
This demonstrates that the essential neutralization process involves hydrogen ions from the acid reacting with hydroxide ions from the base to form water.