Final answer:
The balanced chemical equation for the reaction between acetic acid and sodium hydroxide is CH3COOH (aq) + NaOH (aq) → CH3COONa (aq) + H2O (l), which represents a neutralization reaction that produces sodium acetate and water.
Step-by-step explanation:
The balanced chemical equation for the reaction between acetic acid (CH3COOH) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is:
CH3COOH (aq) + NaOH (aq) → CH3COONa (aq) + H2O (l)
This reaction is an example of a neutralization reaction, where an acid reacts with a base to produce water and a salt. In this case, acetic acid reacts with sodium hydroxide to form sodium acetate and water. When writing the balanced equation, we account for the fact that sodium hydroxide is a strong base and is fully ionized in solution, so it is represented in its ionic form (Na+ and OH-), while acetic acid is a weak acid and is written in its molecular form.