Final answer:
A strong acid reacting with a weak base forms water and a salt; the latter ionizes to form a weak acid and hydroxide ions, which makes the solution basic.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a strong acid reacts with a weak base in the intracellular fluid (ICF), several events occur. Firstly, the reaction between the acid and the base typically forms water (H2O) and a salt. The salt then ionizes in solution, and because it usually contains the conjugate base of the weak acid, it will slightly react with water to form the weak acid while also forming hydroxide ions (OH-). This results in the solution becoming basic as the production of OH- increases the pH.
The ionization of strong acids and strong bases in aqueous solutions is essentially 100%. In contrast, weak acids and weak bases do not ionize completely, leading to an equilibrium between the ionized and unionized forms in the solution. When a weak base forms a salt with a strong acid, the solution can become basic due to hydrolysis, where water reacts with the anion of the weak base, producing OH- and resulting in a basic solution.