What occurs when a weak acid reacts with a strong base?

When a weak acid reacts with a strong base, the primary outcome is the production of a salt and water, along with a shift in the overall pH of the solution. The reaction typically results in the solution becoming more basic.

In this scenario, a strong base such as sodium hydroxide (NaOH) fully dissociates in water to produce hydroxide ions (OH⁻). When these hydroxide ions react with the weak acid, they are capable of deprotonating it, leading to the formation of a conjugate base and water. Because the strong base is present in excess, it effectively neutralizes the weak acid and drives the reaction to completion, producing a less acidic or more basic environment.

This shift can be understood in terms of equilibrium: the weak acid does not fully dissociate like a strong acid does, meaning that in its presence, the solution has some degree of acidity. However, the strong base pulls the equilibrium in such a way that results in a higher concentration of hydroxide ions compared to hydrogen ions, ultimately increasing the pH of the solution and making it more basic.

Thus, the correct outcome of a weak acid reacting with a strong base is that the solution becomes more basic due to the complete reaction