Final answer:
Acids and bases neutralize each other through a proton transfer reaction, where an acid donates a proton to a base, resulting in the formation of water and a salt.
Step-by-step explanation:
From a molecular or atomic perspective, acids and bases neutralize each other because they engage in a proton transfer reaction. According to the Brønsted-Lowry theory, acids are substances that can donate protons (hydrogen ions, H+), while bases are substances that can accept protons. When an acid and a base react, the acid donates a proton to the base. This transfer of a proton results in the formation of water (H2O) and a salt. For example, when hydrochloric acid (HCl) reacts with sodium hydroxide (NaOH), the H+ from HCl combines with the OH- from NaOH to form water, and the remaining Na+ from NaOH combines with the Cl- from HCl to form sodium chloride (NaCl), which is a salt. The uniqueness of acid and base chemistries is thereby 'canceled out' in this neutralization reaction, typically leaving behind a solution that is neither strongly acidic nor basic.