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Neutralisation and salts
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When an acid reacts, it makes a salt. Learn three patterns and you can write the products of dozens of reactions.
Three reaction patterns
acid + base → salt + water
acid + metal carbonate → salt + water + carbon dioxide
acid + metal → salt + hydrogen
acid + metal carbonate → salt + water + carbon dioxide
acid + metal → salt + hydrogen
Naming the salt
First word: the metal. Second word: from the acid.
Testing the gases
Hydrogen: a lit splint gives a squeaky pop.
Carbon dioxide: turns limewater milky (cloudy).
In neutralisation, H+ + OH− → H2O.
Carbon dioxide: turns limewater milky (cloudy).
In neutralisation, H+ + OH− → H2O.
Name the products when zinc reacts with sulfuric acid.
- Zinc is a metal, so acid + metal → salt + hydrogen.
- Sulfuric acid makes sulfates.
- Salt: zinc sulfate.
Answer: Zinc sulfate and hydrogen
Acid + base gives salt + water; with a carbonate you also get carbon dioxide; with a metal you get hydrogen. Hydrochloric makes chlorides, sulfuric makes sulfates, nitric makes nitrates.
The interactive lesson includes the diagrams for this topic.
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