What Salt is Produced When Sodium Hydroxide Reacts With Sulphuric Acid?

When sodium hydroxide reacts with sulphuric acid, the salt produced is sodium sulphate.

This chemical reaction is a classic example of a neutralization reaction. In this process, an acid (sulphuric acid) reacts with a base (sodium hydroxide) to form a salt and water.

The specific salt that results from the complete reaction between sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and sulphuric acid (H₂SO₄) is sodium sulphate. As confirmed by reference information, This reaction produces the salt sodium sulphate.

The Neutralization Process

Neutralization reactions involve the combination of hydrogen ions (H⁺) from the acid and hydroxide ions (OH⁻) from the base to form water (H₂O). The remaining ions, the cation from the base (sodium, Na⁺) and the anion from the acid (sulphate, SO₄²⁻), combine to form the salt.

Chemical Equation

The balanced chemical equation for the complete neutralization reaction between sodium hydroxide and sulphuric acid is:

2NaOH (aq) + H₂SO₄ (aq) → Na₂SO₄ (aq) + 2H₂O (l)

Let's break down what this equation represents:

• Reactants:
  • 2NaOH: Two molecules of sodium hydroxide (a strong base).
  • H₂SO₄: One molecule of sulphuric acid (a strong acid).
• Products:
  • Na₂SO₄: One molecule of sodium sulphate (the salt).
  • 2H₂O: Two molecules of water.
• (aq) denotes that the substance is dissolved in water (aqueous solution).
• (l) denotes that the substance is in liquid form.

This equation shows that two moles of sodium hydroxide are required to neutralize one mole of sulphuric acid completely, yielding one mole of sodium sulphate and two moles of water.

Understanding Sodium Sulphate (Na₂SO₄)

Sodium sulphate (Na₂SO₄) is an inorganic salt. It is typically a white crystalline solid that is soluble in water. It exists in nature as the mineral thenardite (anhydrous Na₂SO₄) and as the decahydrate (Na₂SO₄·10H₂O), known as Glauber's salt.

Sodium sulphate has various uses across industries, including:

• Detergents: Used as a filler.
• Paper Industry: Used in the Kraft process for making paper pulp.
• Textile Industry: Used in dyeing processes.
• Glass Manufacturing: Used to remove air bubbles from molten glass.

Key Takeaway

The reaction between sodium hydroxide and sulphuric acid is a fundamental acid-base neutralization.

Here are the key points:

• Reactants: Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) and Sulphuric Acid (H₂SO₄).
• Reaction Type: Neutralization.
• Primary Salt Produced: Sodium Sulphate (Na₂SO₄), as confirmed by the reference.
• Other Product: Water (H₂O).

This reaction reliably produces sodium sulphate when the reactants are combined in the correct proportions for complete neutralization.