Salts are produced during neutralisation reactions, which occur when an acid reacts with a base, resulting in the formation of water and a salt.

In a neutralisation reaction, the combination of an acid and a base yields a salt and water. This process is termed “neutralisation” because the characteristics of both the acid and the base are neutralised, or effectively cancelled out. The outcome is a solution that is neither acidic nor basic, but rather neutral. The general equation representing a neutralisation reaction can be expressed as:

The type of salt formed in a neutralisation reaction depends on the specific acid and base involved. For instance, when hydrochloric acid ($\text{HCl}$) reacts with sodium hydroxide ($\text{NaOH}$), the resulting salt is sodium chloride ($\text{NaCl}$), which is commonly known as table salt. The equation for this reaction can be written as:

In another example, when sulfuric acid ($\text{H}_2\text{SO}_4$) reacts with potassium hydroxide ($\text{KOH}$), the resulting salt is potassium sulfate ($\text{K}_2\text{SO}_4$). The equation for this reaction is:

It is important to note that not all bases are soluble in water. Bases that are soluble are referred to as alkalis. When an acid reacts with an alkali, the reaction is still classified as a neutralisation reaction, and a salt is formed. However, in this case, the resulting solution may be alkaline rather than neutral.

In summary, a neutralisation reaction involves the interaction of an acid with a base to produce a salt and water. The specific type of salt generated depends on the particular acid and base that participate in the reaction.