What is produced when an acid and a base react together?

When an acid reacts with a base, the primary products of this neutralization reaction are salt and water. This occurs through a chemical process where the hydrogen ions (H⁺) from the acid combine with the hydroxide ions (OH⁻) from the base to produce water (H₂O). The remaining components of the acid and base then combine to form the salt.

This reaction can be represented in a simplified equation where, for example, hydrochloric acid (HCl) reacts with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to produce sodium chloride (NaCl, a type of salt) and water. This concept is fundamental in chemistry and highlights the neutralizing properties of acids and bases, forming salts that can have various uses in industry and laboratory settings.

The other options presented do not accurately describe the products of an acid-base reaction. The formation of hydrogen and salt, gas and solid, or alcohol and ester would involve different types of chemical reactions rather than the typical acid-base neutralization process.