Acid-Base Reactions

When an acid and a base are placed together, they react to neutralize the acid and base properties, producing a salt. The H(+) cation of the acid combines with the OH(-) anion of the base to form water. The compound formed by the cation of the base and the anion of the acid is called a salt. The combination of hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide produces common table salt, NaCl:

The word salt is a general term which applies to the products of all such acid-base reactions.

Acid and Base Properties

Substances have long been classified as acids or bases according to some general properties which are summarized below. Their reactions with each other produce salts.