3 When these substances react, the hydrogen of the acid joins
the hydrogen of the base or alkali, forming water, H₂O.
4 The metal of the base always replaces the hydrogen of the
acid.
2KOH + H₂SO₄ = K₂SO₄ + 2H₂O
Potassium hydroxid + Sulfuric acid = Potassium Sulfate + Water
(alkali or base) (acid) (Salt)
(In the above equation the potassium (K) of the potassium
hydroxid replaces the Hydrogen (H) in the sulfuric acid.)
5 The other elements of the original compounds unite to form
a new substance, which is neither acid nor alkali, but which is
termed a salt.
The names of a few common acids, bases and salts, and their chemical
formulas, are given here, as many of them will be important in the
pursuance of this work.