Organic acid

From WikiMD.org
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Organic Acid

An Organic Acid (pronunciation: /ɔːrˈɡænɪk ˈæsɪd/) is a type of acid that contains carbon. They are common in nature and are often associated with life processes.

Etymology

The term "organic" comes from the Greek word "organikos", meaning "relating to an organ", while "acid" comes from the Latin word "acidus", meaning "sour". The term "organic acid" was first used in the 19th century to describe acids derived from living organisms.

Definition

Organic acids are typically weak acids and do not completely dissociate in water, unlike the strong mineral acids. The most common organic acids are carboxylic acids, but other subclasses of organic acids such as sulfonic acids and phenols are also found widely.

Examples

Some examples of organic acids include acetic acid, lactic acid, citric acid, and fumaric acid. These acids are often found in food and beverages, and play important roles in metabolism and the preservation of food.

Properties

Organic acids are generally soluble in water and have a sour taste. They also have the ability to donate a proton (H+) in a solution, which is a characteristic property of all acids.

Uses

Organic acids are used in a wide variety of applications, including food preservation, medicine, and the manufacture of plastics and dyes. They are also important in biochemistry, where they are involved in many metabolic processes.

Related Terms

External links

Esculaap.svg

This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.


Languages: - East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, Urdu, বাংলা, తెలుగు, தமிழ், ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, European español, Deutsch, français, русский, português do Brasil, Italian, polski