Final answer:
The reaction between KHP (potassium hydrogen phthalate) and NaOH (sodium hydroxide) is a neutralization reaction, resulting in water and potassium phthalate salt.
Step-by-step explanation:
The chemical reaction that takes place between potassium hydrogen phthalate (KHP) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is a neutralization reaction. During this reaction, KHP, which is a weak acid, reacts with NaOH, a strong base, to form water (H2O) and a salt, specifically potassium phthalate (K(C8H4O4)). The balanced chemical equation for this reaction is:
KHC8H4O4(aq) + NaOH(aq) → KNaC8H4O4(aq) + H2O(l)
In this **neutralization reaction**, the H+ ion from KHP combines with the OH− ion from NaOH to produce H2O, leaving the potassium (K+) and phthalate ions (C8H4O4−) in solution to form the potassium phthalate salt. This type of reaction is often used in quantitative chemical analysis, such as in titration to determine the concentration of an unknown NaOH solution.