Question

What happens when two acids are mixed together?

Answer 1

Hint: An acid is the substance that has the ability to liberate hydrogen ions in any solution. This capability makes any acid weak or strong. The mixture of two acids with difference in strength reacts together, while normally when two acids are mixed the reactions do not happen.

Complete answer:
Acids are the compounds that are capable of liberating a hydrogen ion. The more the number of hydrogen ions liberated by an acid, the stronger is the acid. The strong acids have a very low pH of 1 – 2.
When we mix two acids of the same strength, we can see that no reaction occurs. It is because the resultant will be neutral and there will be no change in the pH. But if a weak acid is mixed with a strong acid then we can see a reaction occur. The addition of weak acid to a strong acid produces salts. This is due to the reason that weak acids have a higher pH which is basic, and therefore weak acids act as bases on reaction with strong acids.
Hence, when two acids are mixed together, no reaction occurs. But when strong acid is mixed with weak acid then the reaction occurs to produce salts.

Note:
Weak acids are capable of liberating less hydrogen ions this gives them a higher pH. The reaction is in the form of acid – base reaction where a salt is formed. This is called a neutralization reaction. For example, $HCl+NaOH\to NaCl+H_{2}O$ , acid is HCl that reacts with base NaOH to produce a salt sodium chloride, NaCl and water.