The Foundations of Chemistry

In nearly all neutralization reactions, the driving force is the combination of H
(aq)

from an acid and OH(aq) from a base (or a base plus water) to form water mole-

cules.

Consider the reaction of hydrochloric acid, HCl(aq), with aqueous sodium hydroxide,

NaOH. Table 4-5 tells us that HCl is a strong acid, and Table 4-7 tells us that NaOH is

a strong base. The salt sodium chloride, NaCl, is formed in this reaction. It contains the

cation of its parent base, Na
, and the anion of its parent acid, Cl. Solubility guidelines

2 and 4 tell us that NaCl is a soluble salt.

HCl(aq)
NaOH(aq)88nH 2 O(
)
NaCl(aq)

[H
(aq)
Cl(aq)]
[Na
(aq)
OH(aq)]88nH 2 O(
)
[Na
(aq)
Cl(aq)]

H
(aq)
OH(aq)88nH 2 O(
)

The net ionic equation for allreactions of strong acids with strong bases that form

soluble salts and water is

H
(aq)
OH(aq)88nH 2 O(
)

When a base such as ammonia or an
amine reacts with an acid, a salt, but
no water, is formed. This is still called
an acid–base, or neutralization,
reaction.

154 CHAPTER 4: Some Types of Chemical Reactions

TABLE 4-13 1997 Production of Inorganic Acids, Bases, and Salts in the United States

Billions

of

Formula Name Pounds Major Uses

H 2 SO 4 sulfuric acid 95.84 Manufacture of fertilizers and other chemicals

CaO, Ca(OH) 2 lime (calcium oxide and 47.56 Manufacture of other chemicals, steelmaking, water treatment
calcium hydroxide)

NH 3 ammonia 38.39 Fertilizer; manufacture of fertilizers and other chemicals
H 3 PO 4 phosphoric acid 26.83 Manufacture of fertilizers

Na 2 CO 3 sodium carbonate (soda ash) 22.93 Manufacture of glass, other chemicals, detergents, pulp, and
paper

NaOH sodium hydroxide 22.74 Manufacture of other chemicals, pulp and paper, soap and
detergents, aluminum, textiles

HNO 3 nitric acid 18.15 Manufacture of fertilizers, explosives, plastics, and lacquers

NH 4 NO 3 ammonium nitrate 16.52 Fertilizer and explosive
HCl hydrochloric acid 8.44 Manufacture of other chemicals and rubber; metal cleaning

(NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 ammonium sulfate 5.62 Fertilizer
KOH, K 2 CO 3 potash 3.15 Manufacture of fertilizers

Al 2 (SO 4 ) 2 aluminum sulfate 2.36 Water treatment, dyeing textiles
Na 2 SiO 3 sodium silicate 2.15 Manufacture of detergents, cleaning agents, and adhesives

CaCl 2 calcium chloride 1.40 De-icing roads in winter, controlling dust in summer, concrete
additive

NaClO 3 sodium chlorate 1.31 Manufacture of other chemicals, explosives, plastics
Na 2 SO 4 sodium sulfate 1.28 Manufacture of paper, glass, and detergents