Acid

An acid is a molecule that donates H⁺ ions (protons) in a chemical reaction. Acids taste sour (although, in a laboratory, never taste an acid; they can be highly corrosive) and turn blue litmus paper red. Acids are covalent compounds, but when dissolved in water, they will conduct electricity. When an acid is put into water, it will loose its H⁺, a process called aqueous dissonance. Strong acids are those that completly give up their protons in solution, whereas weak acids reach an equilibrium concentration of H⁺ in solution. Many organic molecules that play important roles in biological processes are also acids, such as amino acids and carboxylic acids.

See Also

• pH