Neutralisation of Dilute Acids with Bases and Carbonates

Neutralisation of Dilute Acids with Bases and Carbonates

Acids and Bases Fundamentals: Neutralisation

• Neutralisation is the reaction between an acid and a base that produces a salt and water.
• Acids react with bases to produce a neutral solution, which means that the solution would neither be acidic nor basic.
• The general equation for neutralisation is: Acid + Base -> Salt + Water
• The specific reaction of an acid like hydrochloric acid (HCl) with a base such as sodium hydroxide (NaOH) can be represented as: HCl + NaOH -> NaCl + H2O. Here, NaCl is the salt formed.

Acids and Carbonates

• Dilute acids can also react with carbonates to produce a salt, water, and carbon dioxide. This reaction is often used to test for carbon dioxide gas.
• The general equation for this reaction is: Acid + Carbonate -> Salt + H2O + CO2
• The specific reaction of an acid like hydrochloric acid (HCl) with a carbonate such as calcium carbonate (CaCO3) can be represented as: 2HCl + CaCO3 -> CaCl2 + H2O + CO2.
• Fizzing or effervescence is observed during this reaction due to the release of carbon dioxide gas.

Key points to remember

• Neutralisation reactions are particularly useful in many applications in daily life including in medicine, farming and cleaning products.
• Metal carbonates such as calcium carbonate (limestone) are often used to neutralise soil acidity for better plant growth.