Skip to main content
Chemistry LibreTexts

Acid/Base Reactions

An acid–base reaction is a chemical reaction that occurs between an acid and a base. Several theoretical frameworks provide alternative conceptions of the reaction mechanisms and their application in solving related problems; these are called acid–base theories, for example, Brønsted–Lowry acid–base theory. Their importance becomes apparent in analyzing acid–base reactions for gaseous or liquid species, or when acid or base character may be somewhat less apparent. 

Thumbnail: Warning picture used with dangerous acids and dangerous bases. Bases are the opposites of acids. Image used with permission (Public Domain).