Cambridge O Level Chemistry · Syllabus 5070 · Acids, Bases and Salts
Neutralisation
What is Neutralisation?
The reaction between an acid and a base. The hydrogen ions from the acid are accepted by the base, so a salt and water are formed; in aqueous solution the change is summarised by the ionic equation H+(aq) + OH-(aq) to H2O(l).
This definition is part of the Acids, Bases and Salts chapter in Cambridge O Level Chemistry.
Common mistakes with Neutralisation
- “Neutralisation always ends at pH 7.” Repair Neutralisation is defined by what reacts — an acid with a base — not by a number. A mixture only sits at pH 7 when exactly enough of each has been added and the salt formed does not itself make the solution acidic or alkaline. Add one drop too much acid and the reaction was still a neutralisation.
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