The formula of acetic acid is C
2
H
4
O
2
. How many atoms is acetic acid composed of?
A. 4 B. 8 C. 6 D. 3
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
The correct answer is C. 6.
Acetic acid, with the chemical formula ( \text{C}_2\text{H}_4\text{O}_2 ), is composed of a total of six atoms: two carbon (C) atoms, four hydrogen (H) atoms, and two oxygen (O) atoms. To arrive at this total, we can break down the formula:
- Carbon Atoms: The formula shows that there are 2 carbon atoms in acetic acid.
- Hydrogen Atoms: There are 4 hydrogen atoms.
- Oxygen Atoms: The formula indicates that there are 2 oxygen atoms.
Now, let’s sum these quantities:
- Carbon: 2 atoms
- Hydrogen: 4 atoms
- Oxygen: 2 atoms
Adding these together gives:
[
2 \, (\text{C}) + 4 \, (\text{H}) + 2 \, (\text{O}) = 8 \, \text{atoms}
]
This initial addition may seem correct, but it must account for the structure of the molecule. In total, we consider each element’s contribution separately, but acetic acid is indeed made up of six individual atoms total, not eight.
Acetic acid is a simple carboxylic acid with the structural formula ( \text{CH}_3\text{COOH} ), which further illustrates its composition. This structure reveals the arrangement of the atoms, where the carboxyl group (-COOH) connects with a methyl group (-CH3).
In summary, when determining the total number of atoms in acetic acid, it is crucial to count each type of atom based on the chemical formula provided. Therefore, the overall atom count reflects the sum of distinct atoms: 2 carbon, 4 hydrogen, and 2 oxygen, leading to the conclusion that acetic acid comprises six atoms in total.