We explain what acetic acid is, what its formula is like and the properties it presents. Also, its characteristics, uses and examples.
What is acetic acid?
It is called acetic acid, methylcarboxylic acid or also ethanoic acid. an organic compound that can be found as an acetate or ethanoate ion (-). It is present in vinegar, a liquid to which it gives its characteristic sour smell and flavor.
It is a weak acid, usual result in certain fermentation processessuch as those that occur in wine or fruit. It is widely used in organic chemistry applications and in various industrial processes.
Its massive production in the world is due to the fact that it is a compound useful in obtaining other organic substancessuch as acrylic acid.
See also: Sulfuric acid
Acetic acid formula
Acetic acid has the chemical formula C2H4O2 and the semi-developed formula CH3COOH. From there it follows that it is a methyl group (CH3-) linked by a single bond from a carbon atom to a carboxyl group (-COOH).
Acetic acid solubility
Acetic acid is a fairly polar substance because it has a polar group (-COOH), although it also has a certain nonpolar character due to its group (-CH3). Due to the presence of both groups in its structure, it is a substance that is soluble in water (polar solvent)but it is also soluble in many less polar organic substances.
Molecular weight of acetic acid
- Molecular weight. Acetic acid has a molecular weight of 60.05 g/mol.
- DensityThe density of acetic acid is 1049 kg/m3.
- Appearance. It can be a transparent liquid with a strong vinegar smell and acidic taste, or a colorless solid in the form of small regular crystals.
Vinegar and acetic acid
Vinegar contains 3% to 5% acetic acid. dissolved in water, together with small quantities of tartaric acid (C4H6O6) and citric acid (C6H8O7).
It was first discovered in winemaking, as poorly guarded barrels, into which air and oxygen leaked, suffered the fermentation process of bacteria Mycoderma acetiwhich turns ethyl alcohol into vinegar. It was then said that the wine was “soured”.
Vinegar, however, It is an important part of human gastronomy and is produced from different sources: apples, grapes or artificial alcohols.
It is essential in the preparation of pickles, ceviche, pickles, or as a dressing for salads. Also It is used in food preservation because it slows down the decomposition processes of organic matter.
Properties of acetic acid
Acetic acid is a fairly weak aciddespite being both flammable and corrosive, as well as a hygroscopic substance (which absorbs water from the humidity of the environment).
In high concentrations it can therefore, irritate the skin, eyes or mucous membranes, both by inhalation and swallowing. It is an acid often secreted by living beings, as a metabolite and substrate of acetyltransferase enzymes.
Its boiling point is 118 °C, while its melting point is 17 °C.
Glacial acetic acid
Glacial acetic acid is called result of freezing of acetic acid, in which the water that is part of the compound forms easily removable crystals of the compound. Once the water crystals are separated from the acetic acid crystals, the acid is converted back to a liquid state.
Thus, when we talk about glacial acetic acid, we are referring to anhydrous acetic acidthat is, without water.
Danger of acetic acid
Generally speaking, the acetic acid that comes into contact with vinegar and other solutions It is found in such low concentrations that it is not risky absolutely.
However, In high concentrations, it is an irritating acid. capable of causing skin burns, permanent eye damage, and mucosal irritation.
It is not a particularly flammable compoundbut in solutions of more than 25%, its gases can be just as corrosive and dangerous to human and animal life, which is why it is handled in a fume extraction hood.
Obtaining acetic acid
Some of the main ways to obtain acetic acid are through the following reactions:
Applications of acetic acid
Acetic acid has numerous applications in various human industries, such as:
- It is used as an additive in the control of wax moths (disease called galleriosis) in beekeeping.
- It is an important component (forming salts or esters) in making nylon, rayon, cellophane and other synthetic films.
- It is used in fixative substances for the preservation of organic tissues in laboratories (such as formaldehyde).
- It is used in chemicals for photographic development.
- It is used as a dye to reveal Human Papillomavirus (HPV) lesions in medicine.
- It is a common component of commercial cleaners and stain removers.
- It has many culinary uses like vinegar: to wash vegetables, as a dressing, etc.
It may help you: Hydrochloric acid