Acetic acid is a weak acid in water because it is
A)dilute.
B)only slightly soluble.
C)unable to hold onto its hydrogen ion.
D)only slightly dissociated into ions.
E)completely dissociated into hydronium ions and acetate ions.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Acetic acid is a weak acid because it only partially dissociates (or ionizes) in water, meaning that only a small percentage of the molecules break apart into hydronium ions and acetate ions. This is in contrast to a strong acid, which fully dissociates in water. Therefore, D is the best choice as it reflects this partial dissociation.

Acetic Acid Is a Weak Acid in Water Because It