Monobasic acid

Monobasic Acid

A monobasic acid is a type of acid that donates only one proton or hydrogen ion per molecule to an aqueous solution. This characteristic distinguishes monobasic acids from polybasic acids, which can donate more than one proton or hydrogen ion per molecule.

Chemical Structure

The chemical structure of a monobasic acid consists of one replaceable hydrogen atom attached to a molecule. This hydrogen atom is responsible for the acid's ability to donate a proton in a chemical reaction. The most common example of a monobasic acid is hydrochloric acid (HCl), which consists of one hydrogen atom and one chlorine atom.

Properties

Monobasic acids have several distinctive properties. They have a sour taste, can turn blue litmus paper red, and react with bases to form salts and water, a reaction known as neutralization.

Uses

Monobasic acids have a wide range of uses in various industries. For example, they are used in the manufacture of dyes and pharmaceuticals, in the food industry for their preservative and flavor-enhancing properties, and in the chemical industry for various synthesis processes.

See Also

• Acid
• Polybasic acid
• Hydrochloric acid
• Neutralization (chemistry)