Question

What type of acid is ethanoic acid?

Answer 1

Ethanoic acid:

• The chemical formula of ethanoic acid is ${\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{COOH}$.
• Its common name is acetic acid.
• It is a carboxylic acid.

Nature of Ethanoic acid:

• Ethanoic acid does not dissociate completely in water. Therefore, it is a weak acid.
• The dissociation of Ethanoic acid is depicted below:

${\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{COOH}\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)\rightleftharpoons {\mathrm{CH}}_3{\mathrm{COO}}^{-}\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)+{\mathrm{H}}^{+}\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)$

• It can be used as a solvent.
• It is also used for medical purposes.