The pH of the stomach is very acidic. On the pH scale of 0-14, the stomach's juices are typically around 1.5-3.5. This is because the parietal cells that line the gastric pits in the stomach produce HCl (hydrochloric acid). The acid dissociates into H+ and Cl- in aqueous solution and makes the solution acidic. This acidity is necessary to activate the enzyme pepsin in the stomach from its inactive form, pepsinogen. This enzyme is used in the digestion of proteins.
When a person takes an antacid, they are usually consuming calcium carbonate. This base reacts with the HCl in the stomach to form calcium chloride, water, and carbon dioxide and in doing so neutralizes the acid in the stomach. See the reaction below:
CaCO3 + 2HCl --> CaCl2 + H2O + CO2
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