Neutralization reaction :
A neutralization reaction is a reaction in which an acid and a base reacts to form water and a salt.
It involves the combination of H+ ions and OH- ions to generate water.
Acid + Base → Salt + Water
HCL(aq) + NaOH(aq) → NaCl + H2O
H+ ions from acid and OH- ions are formed from base
H+ (aq) + OH- (aq) → H2O(l)
H+ ions from an acid and OH- ions from a base to form unionized water, this is called neutralization.
When a solution is neutralized, it means that salts are formed from equal weights of acid and base.
Neutralization reaction has application in daily life:
1) Acidity in digestive system :
An acidic stomach due to eating too much spicy food, can be relieved by taking an antacid. The antacid is alkaline/basic in nature and helps to neutralize the stomach's acidity or you may take magnesium hydroxide(Milk of magnesia) and sodium hydrogen carbonate(Baking soda).
2) Tooth decay :
When we eat food containing sugar, then bacteria present in our mouth break down the sugar to form acids(such as lactic acid). Thus acid is formed in the mouth after digestion. This will lead to the cause of tooth decay. The best way to prevent tooth decay is to clean the mouth after eating food with toothpaste, which is basic in nature. This will result in neutralization of acid by base.
3) Plant growth :
Most of the plants grow best when the pH of the soil is close to 7 that's neural. If the soil is too acidic or too basic (alkaline), the plants grow badly.
The acidic soil is neutralize by treatment with materials like quicklime (calcium oxide) or slaked lime (calcium hydroxide) or chalk(calcium carbonate).
If the soil is too basic, then alkalinity can be reduced by adding decaying organic matter (manure or composite) which contains acidic materials.
