Understand Neutralisation Reactions

What makes something an acid or an alkali?

All alkalis contain hydroxide particles, which have the symbol OH. (So anything ending in hydroxide we can be certain is an alkali!) All acids contain hydrogen particles, which have the symbol H.

And what do you think you might make when you combine an H and an OH molecule.....?

That's why when you mix an acid and an alkali together, they make a salt and water. This is called a neutralisation reaction. A neutral solution is made if you add just the right amount of acid and alkali together.

Acid + alkali → salt + water

So what salt is made when you mix an acid and an alkali? Well it depends a lot on what acid you use.

These three acids use different words for the name of salts produced by them:

A salt made from hydrochloric acid will end in chloride
A salt made from nitric acid will end in nitrate
A salt made from sulfuric acid will end in sulfate

Want to have a go at answering some neutralisation questions? Great!