ACID/BASE BALANCE. D. C. Mikulecky. ACIDS, BASES AND SALTS. CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS CAN BE PROTON DONORS OR ACCEPTORS PROTON DONORS ARE ACIDS PROTON ACCEPTORS ARE BASES ACIDS AND BASES REACT TO NEUTRALIZE EACH OTHER FORMING SALTS. ACID/BASE REACTIONS . HCl + NaOH NaCl + H 2 O.