When hydrochloric acid (HCl) reacts with sodium hydroxide (NaOH), the primary product formed is sodium chloride (NaCl), commonly known as table salt. This reaction is a classic example of an acid-base neutralization reaction.
In this reaction, HCl donates a proton (H+) to NaOH, which contains hydroxide ions (OH–). The combination of H+ and OH– leads to the formation of water (H2O). At the same time, the sodium ions (Na+) from NaOH pair with the chloride ions (Cl–) from HCl to form sodium chloride. The overall balanced chemical equation for this reaction can be represented as:
HCl + NaOH → NaCl + H2O
This reaction illustrates the concept of neutralization, where an acid and a base react to produce salt and water, resulting in a solution that is closer to neutral on the pH scale.