What do hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide produce in a neutralization reaction?

In a neutralization reaction between hydrochloric acid (HCl) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH), the two reactants undergo a chemical reaction that produces water and sodium chloride (NaCl).

Hydrochloric acid is a strong acid, while sodium hydroxide is a strong base. When they react, the hydrogen ions (H⁺) from the acid combine with the hydroxide ions (OH⁻) from the base to form water (H₂O). The remaining ions, sodium ions (Na⁺) from the sodium hydroxide and chloride ions (Cl⁻) from the hydrochloric acid, come together to form sodium chloride, which is common table salt.

This reaction can be represented by the following equation:

HCl + NaOH → NaCl + H₂O

The formation of water and sodium chloride is characteristic of strong acid-strong base neutralization reactions. Understanding this process illustrates a fundamental concept in chemistry where acids and bases react to create a salt and water, restoring neutrality to the solution.