What is glacial ethanoic acid?


Vocabulary
carboxylic acid*
acetic acid
crystallization*
The ethan- stem means you have two carbons, and the -oic acid ending means that the carbon on the end is part of a carboxylic acid group, -COOH. So ethanoic acid is CH3COOH, which is more commonly known as acetic acid.

Anhydrous (water-free) acetic acid is sometimes called glacial acetic acid because it solidifies just below room temperature, at 16.7°C. Acetic acid can be concentrated by dripping the impure compound over a "stalactite" of glacial (frozen) acetic acid. Pure acetic acid crystallizes, while impurities run off in the liquid.

Author: Fred Senese senese@antoine.frostburg.edu



General Chemistry Online! What is glacial ethanoic acid?

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