Describe the chemical structure of acetic acid.
1 answer
Acetic acid, also known as ethanoic acid, has a chemical formula of C2H4O2. It is a simple carboxylic acid with a methyl group (CH3) attached to the carboxylic acid group (COOH). The structure of acetic acid consists of two carbon atoms joined by a double bond, one oxygen atom double bonded to one of the carbon atoms, and a hydroxyl group (-OH) attached to the other carbon atom. The methyl group is attached to the second carbon atom. The structural formula of acetic acid can be represented as CH3COOH.