Question

Why does neutralization occur?

Answer 1

A neutralization reaction is very much like a double replacement reaction. However, in a neutralization reaction, the reactants are always an acid and a base and the products are always a salt and water.

The basic reaction for a double replacement react takes the following format:

`AB + CD -> CB + AD`

We will look at an example as Sulfuric Acid and Potassium Hydroxide neutralize each other in the following reaction:

`H_2SO_4 + 2KOH -> K_2SO_4 + 2H_2O`

In a neutralization reaction between an acid and a base, the typical outcome is a salt formed by the positive ion from the base and the negative ion from the acid. In this case, the positive potassium ion (`K^+`) and the polyatomic sulfate (`SO_4`) together form the salt `K_2SO_4`.

The positive hydrogen (`H^+`) from the acid and the negative hydroxide ion (`OH^-`) from the base form the water molecule `HOH` or `H_2O`.

I hope this was helpful.
SMARTERTEACHER