neutralization

chemistry

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 29, 2026

Quick Summary

Neutralization in chemistry is a reaction where an acid and a base react to cancel each other out, forming salts and often water. This process involves the exchange of hydrogen ions (H⁺) between the acid and the base.1

For example, a strong acid and a strong base in water react to form water. If one reactant is in excess, the resulting salt's properties (acidic, basic, or neutral) depend on the strengths of the original acid and base. A neutral solution has a pH of 7. The concept of neutralization is fundamental in chemistry, with applications ranging from industrial processes to biological systems.2341

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

5 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

acid–base reaction
…fixed quantity of acid to neutralize a fixed quantity of base was one of the earliest examples of chemical equivalence: the idea that a certain measure of one substance is in some chemical sense equal to a different amount of a second substance. In addition, it was found quite early…
Read More
…fixed quantity of acid to neutralize a fixed quantity of base was one of the earliest examples of chemical equivalence: the idea that a certain measure of one substance is in some chemical sense equal to a different amount of a second substance. In addition, it was found quite early…
Read More

Lewis theory
…acid and a base (neutralization) results in the formation of an addition compound, in which the electron pair that constitutes the chemical bond comes from only one reactant. Included in the Lewis definition of acids are the metal ions; the oxides of certain nonmetallic elements, such as sulfur, phosphorus,…
Read More
…acid and a base (neutralization) results in the formation of an addition compound, in which the electron pair that constitutes the chemical bond comes from only one reactant. Included in the Lewis definition of acids are the metal ions; the oxides of certain nonmetallic elements, such as sulfur, phosphorus,…
Read More