Question

What happens if bone of frog is kept in diluted HCl?

• A. It will become soft and flexible
• B. It will turn black
• C. It will break into pieces
• D. It will shrink

Answer 1

The correct option is A It will become soft and flexible

When a bone is kept in dilute acid for a few days, the salts get dissolved, leaving only soft and flexible organic matrix. It is known as decalcification. There are two categories of decalcifying agents namely, chelating agents and acids. The acids are further divided into weak (picric, acetic and formic acid) and strong acids (nitric and hydrochloric acid). So, the correct answer is option A.