Question

Is `NH_4OH + HCl` an acid base reaction?

Answer 1

It is indeed an acid base reaction; but the base is NEUTRAL ammonia, not ammonium hydroxide.

Explanation:

`H_4NOH` is commercially available as ammonium hydroxide. A better representation would be as concentrated aqueous ammonia, i.e. `NH_3(aq)` or `NH_(3)*OH_2`; this latter representation has the same formula as `NH_4OH`.

So the rxn:

`HCl(aq) + NH_3(aq) rarr NH_4^+ + Cl^-`

Thus `NH_4OH -= NH_3*OH_2`, hydrated ammonia.