How are salts formed in neutralisation reactions?

Salts are formed in neutralisation reactions when an acid reacts with a base, producing water and a salt.

In a neutralisation reaction, an acid and a base combine to form a salt and water. This process is called neutralisation because the properties of both the acid and the base are neutralised, or cancelled out, resulting in a solution that is neither acidic nor basic but neutral. The general equation for a neutralisation reaction is: Acid + Base → Salt + Water.

The type of salt that is formed depends on the specific acid and base that are reacting. For example, if hydrochloric acid (a common acid) reacts with sodium hydroxide (a common base), the resulting salt is sodium chloride, which is common table salt. The equation for this reaction is: HCl (hydrochloric acid) + NaOH (sodium hydroxide) → NaCl (sodium chloride) + H2O (water).

In another example, if sulphuric acid reacts with potassium hydroxide, the resulting salt is potassium sulphate. The equation for this reaction is: H2SO4 (sulphuric acid) + 2KOH (potassium hydroxide) → K2SO4 (potassium sulphate) + 2H2O (water).

It's important to note that not all bases are soluble in water. Those that are soluble are called alkalis. When an acid reacts with an alkali, the reaction is still a neutralisation reaction and a salt is still formed. However, the resulting solution will be alkaline rather than neutral.

In summary, a neutralisation reaction involves an acid reacting with a base to form a salt and water. The specific type of salt that is formed depends on the acid and base involved in the reaction.