Neutralization reactions
Neutralization reactions is a double-replacement reaction. It has the general form:
HX + MOH 
MX + HOH
Neutralization reactions occur when an acid reacts with a base to produce a salt and water.
This is a double replacement reaction because the ions in compounds HX and MOH switch partners. Therefore, neutralization reactions are double replacement reactions. The driving force behind neutralization reactions is the formation of water.
An acid reacts with a base to produce a salt and water.
Example
Let's examine the reaction of hydrochloric acid , HCl (aq) and sodium hydroxide, NaOH (aq) in details.
Reaction of hydrochloric acid with sodium hydroxide produces sodium chloride and water.
In aqueous solution, HCl and NaOH exist as ions in solution. The salt, NaCl, that forms is soluble in water, therefore, also exists as ions in solution. Therefore, to describe the same reaction more precisely, we write the following reaction revealing the ions that exist in the solution.
| Before reaction | After reaction |
|---|---|
|
|
Careful inspection of the beakers will reveal that the ions that have undergone reaction are the H+ and OH- ions. The Na+ ions and Cl- ions remain unchanged before and after the reaction. The Na+ ions and the Cl- ions are called spectator ions.
If we leave out the spectator ions, and write the equation involving those ions that participated in the reaction, we write the net ionic equation of neutralization.
Since H+ ions exist in solution as hydronium ions, H3O+ , we can write the net ionic equation in the following way.
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Content suitability
BCIT courses: CHEM 0011
