Neutralization

All of us have suffered from indigestion at least once. We normally treated by

taking an antacid like milk of magnesia to reduce the acidity in the stomach.
Magnesium hydroxide from milk of magnesia reacts with the excess
Hydrochloric acid, caused by excessive acid production in the stomach, to form
water and a salt such as Magnesium chloride.

Mg(OH)2 + 2HCl → 2H2O + MgCl2

Thus, acid in stomach is neutralized by an alkali present in an antacid.

Similarly in the laboratory, an acid like hydrochloric acid can be neutralized by

an alkali such as sodium hydroxide. Take a test tube filled with about 0.1 M, 2 ml
dilute hydrochloric acid and add two or three drops of phenolphthalein indicator
to it. No colour change is observed in the test tube. Now add equal volume of
dilute sodium hydroxide, having same concentration, to it and shake gently.
Initially no colour change is observed. Because when equal amount of acidic and
basic solutions are mixed, they neutralize each other and the neutralizing
solution is neither acidic nor basic.

The reaction where an acid such as HCl and a base like NaOH react together to
form a salt of NaCl that is sodium chloride and H2O that is water, is called
neutralization reaction. As a result phenolphthalein remains colourless in the
solution and it does not show any colour change with red as well as with blue
litmus paper.

If we keep adding dilute sodium hydroxide to this neutral solution, after a while,
it turns pink. This is because the solution has turned basic and phenolphthalein
gives pink colour in basic solution. Red litmus paper turns blue while blue litmus
paper remains unchanged in this solution. This litmus test also confirms the
formation of basic solution in the test tube.

Add excess of dilute hydrochloric acid to this solution, which changes pink
solution to colourless once again. This is because the solution has turned acidic
and phenolphthalein remains colourless in the acidic solution. This solution
changes blue litmus paper red and leaves the red litmus paper unchanged.

Summary- The reaction where an acid and the base react together to form a salt
and H2O that is water, is called neutralization reaction. We have also seen how
excessive acid production in the stomach is neutralized by an alkali present in an
antacid.