Question

In an accident at a factory,some nitric acid was spilt.Which substance, when added in excess, would neutralise the acid without leaving an alkaline ?
(A) Aqueous ammonia
(B) Aqueous sodium hydroxide
(C) Calcium carbonate
(D) Water
Please explain the answer

Answer 1

B is the correct answer because NaoH is a base and nitric acid is acid so when acid react with base then salt and water is formed and problem will be solved

Answer 2

Answer: Option (B) is the correct answer.

Explanation:

A reaction in which acid is added to base will result in the formation of salt and  water is known as neutralization reaction.

This also means that when nitric acid was split then we need to add a base in order to neutralize it. Hence, then the solution will remain neither acidic nor basic.

      $HNO_{3}(aq) + NaOH(aq) \rightarrow NaNO_{3}(aq) + H_{2}O$

Whereas if we add water into the nitric acid then it will only dilute the acid but it will not neutralize it.

Thus, we can conclude that when NaOH  is added in excess, then it would neutralise the acid without leaving an alkaline.