Question

2) Acetic acid has four hydrogen atoms in its one molecule. Yet it is called a monobasic acid. Explain why.

Answer 1

(2) Acetic acid has four hydrogen atoms in its one molecule. Yet it is called a monobasic acid.

• Acetic acid $\left({\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{COOH}\right)$ is a monobasic acid because it produces one hydronium ion per molecule of acetic acid.
• Monobasic acid produces only one hydronium $\underset{\mathrm{Hydronium}\mathrm{ion}}{{\mathrm{H}}_3{\mathrm{O}}^{+}}$ ion when dissolved in water.
• Reaction -

$\underset{\mathrm{Acetic}\mathrm{acid}}{{\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{COOH}}+\underset{\mathrm{Water}}{{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}}\iff \underset{\mathrm{Hydronium}\mathrm{ion}}{{\mathrm{CH}}_3{\mathrm{COO}}^{-}}+\underset{\mathrm{Hydronium}\mathrm{ion}}{{\mathrm{H}}_3{\mathrm{O}}^{+}}$