The balanced equation for the reaction between sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is:

H₂SO₄ + 2NaOH → Na₂SO₄ + 2H₂O

Here's the breakdown:

* Reactants:

* Sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) - a strong acid

* Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) - a strong base

* Products:

* Sodium sulfate (Na₂SO₄) - a salt

* Water (H₂O) - a neutral molecule

Explanation:

This is a neutralization reaction. The strong acid (H₂SO₄) reacts with the strong base (NaOH) to form a salt (Na₂SO₄) and water (H₂O).

* Balancing the equation: You need 2 moles of NaOH to react with 1 mole of H₂SO₄ to produce 1 mole of Na₂SO₄ and 2 moles of H₂O. This ensures that the number of atoms of each element is the same on both sides of the equation.