Which products are produced in a neutralization reaction between an acid and a base?

• A. Water and a salt
• B. Water only
• C. Salt only
• D. Gas and water

Answer: (A)

Neutralization of an acid by a base in solution makes both a salt and water. The hydrogen ions (H+) from the acid combine with hydroxide ions (OH−) from the base to form water (H2O). The remaining ions—such as Na+ from a base and Cl− from an acid—pair up to form a salt. A common example is hydrochloric acid reacting with sodium hydroxide to give sodium chloride and water: HCl + NaOH → NaCl + H2O. This is why the products are water and a salt. The other options don’t fit this usual outcome: producing only water would leave no salt, producing only a salt would leave no water, and producing gas would require a different reaction pathway (for example with carbonates).