Study of Neutralisation Reaction

The aim of this experiment is to study the acid-base reaction between HCl and NaOH.This reaction is also called neutralization reaction.

A reaction in which two substances, such as acid and base, combine to form salt and water. 

                             HCl + NaOH ? NaCl + H₂O

The reaction is called so because the acid and base react to neutralize each other’s effect. The salt formed in the reaction is neither acidic nor basic in nature and remains neutral to the litmus paper. The neutralization reaction is exothermic because heat evolves during this process.

To perform this experiment, apparatus and materials are required: Dilute hydrochloric acid, 10% sodium hydroxide solution, red litmus paper, blue litmus paper, and beakers.

The following procedure is required to perform this experiment.

1. Test the nature of HCl and sodium hydroxide by using red and blue litmus paper. Record your observations. 
2. Take about 5 mL of 10% HCl in a beaker and label it as A. 
3. Similarly, take 5 mL of 10% sodium hydroxide solution in another beaker and label it as B.
4. Add dilute HCl from beaker A drop-wise to dilute the NaOH contained in beaker B. 
5. Keep on adding the dilute HCl from beaker A to 10% NaOH in beaker B dropwise until the reaction mixture in beaker B becomes neutral to the litmus paper. Test the nature of this mixture by successively dipping red and blue litmus papers.
6. Touch the beaker and feel the temperature of the beaker. 

In this experiment, we study acids and bases that react to neutralize each other’s effects. The reaction between an acid and a base leads to the formation of salt and water. This reaction is known as neutralisation. Dilute HCl reacts with dilute NaOH to form NaCl and H2O. Heat evolves during the reaction. Hence, the neutralisation reactions are exothermic.

FAQs on Neutralisation Reaction