Reaction of Sodium Hydroxide with Hydrochloric Acid

• Chemical Equation:

The chemical equation for the reaction of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) with hydrochloric acid (HCl) is:
NaOH + HCl → NaCl + H2O
This equation represents a neutralization reaction where sodium hydroxide, a base, reacts with hydrochloric acid, an acid, to form sodium chloride (salt) and water.

• Explanation:

When sodium hydroxide is mixed with hydrochloric acid, a double displacement reaction occurs. Sodium hydroxide dissociates in water to form sodium ions (Na+) and hydroxide ions (OH-), while hydrochloric acid dissociates to form hydrogen ions (H+) and chloride ions (Cl-). In the reaction, the hydrogen ions from hydrochloric acid combine with the hydroxide ions from sodium hydroxide to form water (H2O), while sodium ions combine with chloride ions to form sodium chloride (NaCl).
This reaction is exothermic, meaning it releases heat energy. It is also a neutralization reaction, as the acidic and basic properties of the reactants are neutralized by each other. The resulting solution is a salt solution with a pH closer to neutral than the initial reactants.
Overall, the reaction of sodium hydroxide with hydrochloric acid is a common laboratory experiment used to demonstrate the concept of neutralization and the formation of salt and water from an acid-base reaction.