neutralizovat

Neutralizovat is a Czech verb meaning to render something neutral, harmless, or ineffective by counteracting its properties or effects. The term stems from the adjective neutral and the suffix -ovat, and it is used in various technical and everyday contexts.

In chemistry, neutralization describes a reaction between an acid and a base that yields a salt and water; it often shifts the solution toward a pH of around 7 and is frequently exothermic. Common example: HCl + NaOH → NaCl + H2O.

In environmental science and agriculture, neutralization refers to adjusting acidity of soils or waters, for example by applying lime to neutralize acidic soils, thereby stabilizing pH levels and reducing metal solubility.

In medicine and pharmacology, antacids neutralize stomach acid, providing relief from symptoms such as heartburn by increasing gastric pH.

In toxicology and emergency response, neutralization denotes actions that render a harmful agent or threat inactive or less dangerous, through chemical means or containment. In security and military contexts, to neutralize a threat means to eliminate or disable the threat or its capacity to act, with the emphasis on stopping harm rather than elimination as a goal.

Etymology: from Latin neutralis via Czech, with the agentive suffix -ovat.

See also: neutralizace, neutralita, pH.