Benzoic Acid
With the molecular formula C6H5COOH, benzoic acid is the most basic aromatic carboxylic acid. The acid is also referred to as Benzene Carboxylic Acid and Carboxy Benzene, as you must be aware. This is a weak acid that is easily found in nature in plants and gum benzoin. Its salts are widely employed in the food industry as preservatives. Under normal temperature and pressure, benzoic acid exists as a crystalline solid that is either colorless or white and is not highly soluble in water. Because benzoic acid has an aromatic structure, it has a somewhat pleasant scent. The structure of benzoic acid is:
Under normal temperature and pressure conditions, benzoic acid has a molar mass of 122.123 grams and a density of 1.26 grams per cubic cm. This acid’s boiling point is 250 degrees Celsius, whereas its melting point is 122 degrees Celsius.
As the temperature rises, benzoic acid becomes more soluble in water. The solubility of benzoic acid in water is 3.44 grams at a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius; however, if the temperature is raised to 100 degrees Celsius, the solubility of benzoic acid in water increases dramatically to 56.31 grams per liter. Regarding solubility, we must point out that this acid is soluble in a few organic solvents, including benzene, acetone, carbon tetrachloride, and hexane.
Weak Acids
Weak acids as the name suggests are the acid with less acidic characteristics i.e., less concentration of Hydrogen ions. Weak acids are much more useful than strong acids in our daily life, as strong acids are corrosive to touch. All the daily activities involved using of weak acids, from food to cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals to farming, use of weak acids can be seen extensively. In this article, we will learn about weak acids, various examples, characteristics, and their use in various daily activities. Other than that, we will also learn about the acid dissociative constant and pH of weak acids. So, let’s start our journey into the world of acetic acid.