Complete the acid-base reaction between butyric acid HC4H7O2 and potassium hydroxide KOH.

Do not include phase designations for any of the reactants or products.

Be sure to include the charge for any charged species.

An acid-base reaction or a neutralization reaction is a chemical reaction that occurs between an acid and a base producing a salt and water. The acids and bases can be strong or weak depending on their degree of ionization in water.

Butyric acid is a weak acid and in water it is ionized in the following way, loosing a proton (H+):

HC4H7O2 (aq) ⇆ H + (aq) + C4H7O2 - (aq)

On the other hand, potassium hydroxide is a strong base, so it will be completely ionized in water:

KOH (aq) → K + (aq) + OH - (aq)

Then the net acid-base reaction between butyric acid and KOH is:

HC4H7O2 (aq) + OH - (aq) ⇆ H2O + C4H7O2 - (aq)

It is valid to consider only the OH - produced from the ionization of KOH in water since, as mentioned, this molecule is completely ionized. Also, we do not include the K + in the net equation since it is a spectator ion, it does not undergo chemical changes.