The reaction of an acid with a carbonate produces which of the following?

When an acid reacts with a carbonate, the primary products formed are a salt, water, and carbon dioxide. The general reaction can be expressed as follows:

[ \text{Acid} + \text{Carbonate} \rightarrow \text{Salt} + \text{Water} + \text{Carbon Dioxide} ]

In this reaction, the acid donates a proton (H⁺ ion) to the carbonate (which contains carbonate ions, CO₃²⁻). This results in the formation of a salt, which is made up of the cation from the acid and the anion from the carbonate. Additionally, the reaction releases carbon dioxide gas due to the decomposition of the carbonate component. The water produced comes from the combination of the hydrogen ions from the acid and the hydroxide ions that may form from the reaction.

This reaction is characteristic of many acids and carbonates, making the formation of salt, water, and carbon dioxide a common outcome. Thus, the correct answer effectively captures the essential products of this chemical interaction.