An example of an irreversible acid-base reaction is the neutralization reaction between a strong acid and a strong base. For instance:
\[ \text{HCl (aq) + NaOH (aq) } \rightarrow \text{ NaCl (aq) + H}_2\text{O (l)} \]
In this reaction, hydrochloric acid (HCl) reacts with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to form sodium chloride (NaCl) and water (H₂O). The reaction goes to completion, meaning that the reactants are converted entirely into products, and the reverse reaction is not significant under normal conditions.
Irreversible reactions generally produce stable products that do not readily dissociate back into the reactants, which is often the case with strong acid and strong base reactions. Other examples of irreversible acid-base reactions can include the formation of gases such as CO₂ from carbonic acid when it reacts with a carbonate, or the formation of water from acid-base reactions where one or both reactants are strong.