Neutralization reactions involve acids and bases reacting to form salts and water. The general word equation shows an acid and base yielding a salt and water. Models can represent these reactions through word equations showing the parts separating or symbol equations showing the chemical formulas. For example, in the reaction of zinc oxide and nitric acid, the parts separate and zinc and nitric acid combine to form zinc nitrate, while oxide and acid combine to form water.

1. Neutralisation reactions
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We can use different models to show what happens in
neutralisation reactions.
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Word equations Symbol equations

2. Neutralisation reactions
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The general word equation for a neutralisation reaction is:
acid + base → salt + water

3. Neutralisation reactions
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In a neutralisation reaction, the different parts of the acid and
base separate.

4. Neutralisation reactions
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In the reaction zinc oxide and nitric acid they separate to form four
parts.
zinc oxide nitric acid

5. Neutralisation reactions
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In the reaction zinc oxide and nitric acid they separate to form four
parts.
zinc oxide nitric acid

6. Neutralisation reactions
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The zinc and nitric parts combine to form a salt.
zinc
oxide
nitric
acid

7. Neutralisation reactions
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The zinc and nitric parts combine to form a salt.
zinc
oxide
nitric
acid

8. Neutralisation reactions
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When the nitric part combines to form a salt, its name becomes
nitrate.
zinc nitric
oxide
acid

9. Neutralisation reactions
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So the salt is called zinc nitrate.
zinc nitrate
oxide
acid
nitric

10. Neutralisation reactions
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The acid and oxide parts then combine …
zinc nitrate
oxide
acid

11. Neutralisation reactions
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The acid and oxide parts then combine …
zinc nitrate
oxide
acid

12. Neutralisation reactions
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… and form water.
zinc water
nitrate acid oxide

13. Neutralisation reactions
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The complete word equation is:
+ →
+
zinc water
nitrate
zinc oxide nitric acid

14. Neutralisation reactions
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We can represent neutralisation reactions as symbol equations.
We will look at the reaction of zinc oxide (ZnO) and sulphuric acid
(H2SO4)
Zn SO4
H2
O

15. Neutralisation reactions
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The zinc oxide (ZnO) and sulphuric acid (H2SO4) separate into
four parts.
Zn SO4
H2
O

16. Neutralisation reactions
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The zinc oxide (ZnO) and sulphuric acid (H2SO4) separate into
four parts.
Zn SO4
H2
O

17. Neutralisation reactions
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The zinc and sulphuric parts combine to form a salt.
Zn
SO4
H2 O

18. Neutralisation reactions
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The zinc and sulphuric parts combine to form a salt.
H2 O
Zn
SO4

19. Neutralisation reactions
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When the sulphuric part combines to form a salt, its name
becomes sulphate. So the salt is zinc sulphate.
Zn SO4
H2 O

20. Neutralisation reactions
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The acid and oxide parts then combine to form hydrogen oxide
or water.
Zn SO4
H2 O

21. Neutralisation reactions
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The acid and oxide parts then combine to form hydrogen oxide or
water.
Zn SO4
H2 O

22. Neutralisation reactions
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The complete symbol equation is:
+ → +
Zn SO4
H2
O Zn SO4
H2 O