Question detail

What is produced when hydrogen ions react with hydroxide ions during neutralisation?

Try the question, check the answer, then read the explanation to understand the curriculum point.

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At a glance

MCQ

Type

practice

Style

Topic

Reactions of acids

Question

A. Salt
B. Water
C. Carbon dioxide
D. Hydrogen gas

Answer

Water

Explanation

The reaction between hydrogen ions (H+) and hydroxide ions (OH-) produces water (H2O), which is the essence of neutralisation.

Common mistake

Confusing ionic and molecular equations

Students write the neutralisation reaction as H⁺ + OH⁻ → H₂O instead of the full ionic equation H⁺(aq) + OH⁻(aq) → H₂O(l) and omit the state symbols, or they write a molecular equation such as HCl(aq) + NaOH(aq) → NaCl(aq) + H₂O(l) and then claim it is the ionic equation.

Remind students that the ionic equation shows only the ions that actually participate in the reaction. The correct ionic equation for neutralisation is H⁺(aq) + OH⁻(aq) → H₂O(l). The molecular equation is fine for describing the overall reaction, but the ionic form is required when describing the mechanism of neutralisation.

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For The pH scale and neutralisation, which acid-base focus answer best supports this Unit 4.4 objective: Describe neutralisation in terms of hydrogen ions reacting with hydroxide ions to produce water?