Which of the following is a weak acid?A.CH3COOH (Acetic acid)B.HCl (Hydrochloric acid)C.HNO3 (Nitric acid)D.H2SO4 (Sulfuric acid)SUBMITarrow_backPREVIOUS

The weak acid among the options provided is A. CH3COOH (Acetic acid).

Here's why:

Acids are classified as either strong or weak, based on their ionization in water.

A strong acid is one that completely ionizes (dissociates) in a solution. In other words, one mole of a strong acid HA dissolves in water yielding one mole of H+ and one mole of the conjugate base, A−. Strong acids are listed below.

1. HCl - Hydrochloric acid
2. HNO3 - Nitric acid
3. H2SO4 - Sulfuric acid

On the other hand, a weak acid only partially ionizes in solutions, which means it only donates some of its hydrogen ions into the solution. In this case, acetic acid (CH3COOH) is a weak acid. It does not ionize completely when it is dissolved in water.