9 Acid Solution Examples in Daily Life – Substances and Uses

Acid solution is often attached to the dangerous substances that can harm us. Generally, concentrated acids are dangerous and highly corrosive so it must be handled carefully. This is also applied to concentrated bases (alkaline). However, acids and bases are not always dangerous. Acid solution examples, orange juice and vinegar that are acids and baking soda which is base (alkaline).

Example of Acid Solution

Acid can be defined as a substance which can be dissolved in water and produced hydrogen ions (H+). We can also define acid as a substance which is dissolved in water forming protons.  A hydrogen atom only has a proton in its nucleus and an electron which travels around the nucleus. Hydrogen atom can lose its electron and forming a hydrogen ion with one proton. That is why, hydrogen ion sometimes is also referred as proton.

Examples of acids and their formulas

Name of Chemical Formulas

  • Acetic acid / vinegar acid: CH3COOH
  • Sulfuric acid: H2SO4
  • Hydrochloric acid: HCl
  • Phosphoric acid: H3PO4
  • Lactic acid: C3H6O5
  • Nitric acid: HNO3
  • Benzoic acid: C6H5COOH
  • Acid Formiate: HCOOH
  • Tartaric acid: C4H6O6

The acid solution is widely used in our daily life. For example, acetic acids are used as a vinegar in meatballs, sulfuric acids are used as an electron solution in battery cell (accumulator), benzoic acids are found in food industry as a preservative.

  1. Acetic Acid (CH3COOH)

Acetic acid is a type of acid solution which is clear (colorless) and has a strong stinking smell. Acetic acid is often used as a reagent fluid and has many function in daily life, such as regulating the acidity level in food industry and also as one of the pesticide-making materials. Acetic acid or sometimes is defined as vinegar acid is an organic compound containing carboxylic acid groups. Below is the use of acetic acid:

  • Acetic acid is used in the polymers production
  • Regulates acidity level in food
  • Used in beverage materials, such as apple vinegar
  • Raw materials for the manufacture of other chemicals: Vinyl acetate, Acetate Anhydrite, Esther Esters, and others.

Here is the theory about the Differences between Acid, Base and Salt

  1. Sulfuric Acid (H2SO4)

Acid solution examples – Sulfuric acid is usually called the chemical king. It is because its universal function, especially as the raw materials or processing agent. Sulfuric acid has a chemical formula which is H2SO4. Sulfuric acid is also a common chemical material used in almost every industry, such as:

  • Fertilizers
  • Gasoline
  • car batteries
  • pharmaceuticals
  • paper bleaching
  • dye
  • etc

Sulfuric acid is highly important chemical material as it is used in tools making process through many applications. Besides its many functions, sulfuric acid is also dangerous for some reason, mainly to the human skin or workers’ skin while they are working. However, do not worry, those kind of accidents can be prevented by mix it with a lot of water and soaps. (Also Read: Acid in Water Reaction

  1. Hydrochloric acid (HCL)

Hydrochloric acid is the strong acid which has several characteristics which are colorless, corrosive, and has a smell such as chlorine when it is inside the higher concentrate. Hydrochloric acid has a chemical formula which is HCL. Hydrochloric acid is one example of chemical compound that can be produced naturally by our body. Organs that can produce hydrochloric acid is human stomach. Hydrochloric acid inside the stomach is used to kill germs in the stomach and to acidify food when it enters the stomach.

Besides that, hydrochloric acid is highly important in industry area. Hydrochloric acid is used as the materials for plastic making, magnesium manufacture, PH buffer, PVC pipe, synthesis of organic compounds and also on floor cleaners.

As we know that hydrochloric acid is corrosive, of course it can be harmful to our skin and eyes. We have to ensure our safety as much as we can when we interact with this solution. However, if there is a direct contact with the skin, immediately clean our skin with the running water for 10-15 minutes, then soak our skin in Na2CO3 solution for 5 minutes for the best preventable action to the danger.

  1. Phosphoric Acid (H3PO4)

Phosphate is an element in a frozen or sedimentary rock with little phosphorus substance. Apatite phosphate is formed by the process of freezing magma. However, sometimes phosphoric deposits may associate with alkaline frozen rock, especially complex carbonite and sienite.

Phosphate is the main source of nitrogen and potassium which is insoluble or can not be dissolved in water, but can be reprocessed when acid is added. Phosphate is processed as a natural fertilizer is not very suitable for the plant, this is because it is difficult to dissolve in water so it is also will be difficult to be absorbed by the roots of the plant. In order to be used as fertilizer, phosphate need to be processed again into artificial fertilizer and can be used without dissolving it in water. Here is the theory about Common Radioactive Isotopes Used in Medicine

  1. Lactic Acid (C3H6O5)

The next example of acid solution is the lactic acid. Lactic acid is a product produced from carbohydrate metabolism without using oxygen or called anaerobic metabolism. The human body is one of the lactic acid producing tools. Muscle cells in the body produce lactic acid when oxygen supply obtained while breathing is not enough to support energy production in all activities.

Lactic acid is often considered as a residual substance. This is because an assumption that the lactic acid produced will gather in the muscle then cause fatigue and trigger muscle cramps every time you finish exercising. But now, the recent research claimed that lactic acid is not a barrier to muscle performance. It is claimed that lactic acid is an important factor when we do heavy sports activities. This is because the lactic acid that has been formed can be used by other muscle cells to produce more energy.

When we do heavy activity or exercise, oxygen demand will exceed more than when we do normal activity, resulting in an anaerobic metabolism that eventually produces lactic acid. Lactic acid that has been produced will be utilized by muscle cells as fuel. For someone who has done regular exercise or athletes, there is an increasing use of lactic acid in the body and this causes physical endurance that will be last longer.

  1. Nitric Acid (HNO3)

Nitric acid or in a chemical formula named HNO3 is a type of solution that is corrosive, colorless, and can cause skin burns in direct contact. Nitric acid is a strong acid. When mixed into the water, the ions in nitric acid are decomposition become nitrate ions (HO3-) and hydronium ions (H3O +). The salt produced from nitric acid is called nitrate salt as well as calcium nitrate or barium nitrate. In room temperature, this compound will form a red or yellow vapor.

Nitric acid also has same characteristic with acidic in general, which is able to react to alkali, alkaline oxides and carbonate in order to produce salt. Generally, nitric acid does not produce protons because of its oxidizing characteristic.

  1. Benzoic acid (C6H5COOH)

Benzoic acid or benzoic acid is a type of chemical compound with the chemical formula C6H5COOH. It is a chemical in the form of a solid organic acid with a white crystalline form, but flammable, dissolve alcohol, volatile, and easy explosive. Benzoic acid has its own trade name which is benzenecarboxylic acid.

Generally, there are several effective methods to produce benzoate acid, including:

  • Oxidation Toluene with air in liquid form
  • Oxidation of Acetophenone
  • Oxidation of Benzyl Bromide
  • Chlorination Toluene
  • Decarboxylation of Pthalyc Anhydrid
  • Liquid phase
  • Gas phase

You may also find out about: Uses of Avobenzone in Everyday Life and Side Effects 

  1. Acid Formic (HCOOH)

Formic acid or commonly referred to as ant acid is an organic compound in which contain carboxyl groups and become part of carboxylic acid compounds. This formic acid is called the ant acid because it is found through the process of distilling red ants. Formic acid has the HCOOH molecular formula. (Read Also: Organs in Plants)

The characteristics of this formic acid are flammable, colorless, sharp smelling and high corrosive. These formic acids tend to dissolve easily in water and some other organic solvents, but difficult to dissolve in aliphatic carbon.

Examples of the use of formic acid are:

  • As a coagulant aid in the production of better rubber.
  • Used as auxiliary materials in dyeing or anti-wrinkle coloring process.
  • Used in the process of removal of lime and skin coloring.
  • Become a mixture of cattle fodder

In addition to the examples above, formiat acid is also widely used in oil drilling areas in the soil, where there is often a clogging incident in the flow of oil hole channels due to the presence of strange particles that are carried in the oil. Giving formiat acid aims to destroy the strange particles thus the hole channel will be smooth again.

  1. Tartaric acid (C4H6O6)

Tartaric acid is a solution with a colorless or transparent characteristic, white, has no smell, high acidity and is stable in the air. Tartaric acid is also easy dissolve in water and ethanol. However, tartaric acid can become unstable when it exposed to heat continuously. Tartaric acid acts as a pH regulator so it can help to keep the pH in the range of microbial tolerances that is cultured. That way the microbes can grow well.

In addition to some examples above, there are actually still many examples of acid solutions with all its functions for us, such as protein which is contained in the body is composed from amino acids, vitamin C or commonly called ascorbic acid, salicylic acid to make aspirin and many more others.

Thus, that’s the theory about acid solution examples in daily life.