What is the main product of a neutralization reaction between an acid and a base?

In a neutralization reaction between an acid and a base, the primary products formed are salt and water. When an acid donates a proton (H⁺ ion) and a base provides a hydroxide ion (OH⁻), they combine to form water (H₂O). The remaining components from the acid and base then combine to form a salt, which is an ionic compound made up of the cation from the base and the anion from the acid.

While water is indeed a critical product of this reaction, the complete understanding of neutralization includes the formation of both water and salt. However, when focusing on the most defining characteristic of a salt’s formation during these reactions, salt is often emphasized as the main product in educational settings.

Neutralization does not typically produce hydrogen gas or carbon dioxide unless specific circumstances are present, such as reactions with certain metals or carbonates. Thus, the best representation of the outcome of a typical acid-base neutralization reaction, highlighting the formation of an ionic compound, leads to the conclusion that salt is the main product.