Neutralization and Salt Formation

📚 Key Concepts

🔹 Real-Life Example

When you have acidity (excess stomach acid), you take an antacid. The antacid (base) neutralizes the excess acid in your stomach, providing relief. This is a perfect example of neutralization happening in our body! Similarly, when farmers find their soil too acidic, they add lime (a base) to neutralize it.

Neutralization: The reaction between an acid and a base that results in the formation of salt and water, with both the acidic and basic properties being neutralized.

🧪 Understanding Neutralization

🔸 General Equation

Acid + Base → Salt + Water + Heat

🔸 Ionic Explanation

• H⁺ (from acid) + OH⁻ (from base) → H₂O
• This is the essential neutralization reaction

🔸 Types of Salts Formed

Neutral Salts (pH = 7):

• Formed from strong acid + strong base
• Examples: NaCl, K₂SO₄, CaCl₂

Acidic Salts (pH < 7):

• Formed from strong acid + weak base
• Examples: NH₄Cl, AlCl₃, CuSO₄

Basic Salts (pH > 7):

• Formed from weak acid + strong base
• Examples: Na₂CO₃, CH₃COONa, KCN

🔍 Advanced: Heat of Neutralization

Neutralization reactions are exothermic – they release heat. This is why you should always add acid to water, not water to acid, to prevent violent heat generation