JTW's Chemistry Web Page

The Neutralization Reaction

HCl_(aq) + NaOH_(aq) NaCl_(aq) + H₂O_(l)

An Acid-Base Neutralization Reaction
is always of the form:

Acid + BaseSalt + Water
Where:

• The Acid is represented as H_nX_(aq)
  (The acid is n-protic.)
  
  
• The Base is represented as M(OH)_m(aq)
  
  
• The Salt is represented as M_nX_m(aq)
  
  
• The Water is represented as H₂O_(l)
  
  
• The number of protons H⁺, which is p*n, should be equal to the number of Hydroxide ions OH^-, which is q*m.
  (ie. The balanced equation must have p*n = q*m.)
  

[p] H_nX_(aq) + [q] M(OH)_m(aq) [(p*n)/q] M_nX_m(aq) + [p*n] H₂O_(l)

The Reactants:

The Reaction:

(as you might observe upon combining solutions)

H_nX_(aq) + M(OH)_m(aq) --- H₂O_(l) + M_nX_m(aq)

The Balanced Equation:

(what you must do to perform calculations involving the stoichiometry of the reaction)

Remember to check for Conservation of Mass and Charge.
You should also always include the States of the Reactants and Products.

m H_nX_(aq) + n M(OH)_m(aq) --- ((m+n)/2) H₂O_(l) + M_nX_m(aq)

Complete Ionic Equation:

(This is what the solution actually looks like in terms of Ionic Species)

Break Ionic Compounds (aqueous substances) into their constituent ions.

m*n H⁺_(aq) + m X^n-_(aq) + n M^m+_(aq) + m*n OH^-_(aq) --- ((m+n)/2) H₂O_(l) + n M^m+_(aq) + m X^n-_(aq)

Net Ionic Equation:

(This is what actually happended in the reaction)

Cancel Spectator Ions that show up on both Reactant and Product sides of the Complete Ionic Equation.

m*n H⁺_(aq) + m*n OH^-_(aq) --- ((m+n)/2) H₂O_(l)

Simply to lowest common integer ratio:

H⁺_(aq) + OH^-_(aq) --- H₂O_(l)

Because H⁺ shows up in aqueous solutions as Hydronium (H₃O⁺),
In an aqueous solution the net ionic should actually look like this:

H₃O⁺_(aq) + OH^-_(aq) --- 2 H₂O_(l)