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How does hydrochloric acid react with sodium hydroxide?

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combustion — chemical reaction Log burning in a fire. Burning wood is an example of a chemical reaction in which wood in the presence of heat and oxygen is transformed into carbon dioxide, water vapor, and ash.

When hydrochloric acid (HCl) reacts with sodium hydroxide (NaOH), they undergo a neutralization reaction. In an aqueous solution, this process involves the transfer of a proton from the acid to the base, specifically occurring between hydrogen ions ( $H_{3} O^{+}$ ) and hydroxide ions ( $O H^{-}$ ).123

The chemical equation for this reaction is:
$H C l + N a O H \to N a C l + H_{2} O$

In this reaction, the acid and base neutralize each other, resulting in the formation of a salt (sodium chloride, or common table salt) and water. Because the hydroxide ion is involved, water is always produced as a by-product. This reaction is a classic example of neutralization, where the characteristic acidic and basic properties of the reactants are eliminated to produce a neutral substance.42