What is the balanced equation for the reaction between hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide?
To determine the balanced equation for the reaction between hydrochloric acid (HCl) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH), we need to understand the chemical formula for each substance and their respective properties.
The chemical formula for hydrochloric acid is HCl. It consists of one hydrogen (H) atom and one chlorine (Cl) atom. Hydrochloric acid is a strong acid.
The chemical formula for sodium hydroxide is NaOH. It is composed of one sodium (Na) atom, one oxygen (O) atom, and one hydrogen (H) atom. Sodium hydroxide is a strong base.
When a strong acid reacts with a strong base, they neutralize each other to form water (H2O) and a salt. In this case, the salt formed will be sodium chloride (NaCl).
So, the balanced equation for the reaction between hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide can be written as:
HCl + NaOH → NaCl + H2O
This equation indicates that one molecule of hydrochloric acid reacts with one molecule of sodium hydroxide to form one molecule of sodium chloride and one molecule of water.