Neutralisation
A chemical reaction happens if you mix together an acid and a base. The reaction is called The reaction between an acid and a base to form a salt plus water.. A neutral solution is made if you add just the right amount of acid and base together.
Watch this video to see how a salt can be produced in the lab by neutralising sulfuric acid with a metal carbonate, in this case copper carbonate.
Producing copper sulfate by reacting copper carbonate with sulfuric acid.
Using neutralisation
Here are some ways neutralisation is used:
- Farmers use lime (calcium oxide) to neutralise acid soils.
- Your stomach contains hydrochloric acid, and too much of this causes indigestion. Antacid tablets contain bases such as magnesium hydroxide and magnesium carbonate to neutralise the extra acid.
Farmers use lime (shown in white) to fertilise acidic soil
When an acid is added to an alkali the pH of the acid increases towards 7 and the pH of the alkali decreases towards 7.