What are 20 Examples of Acids?

Here are 20 examples of acids, categorized for clarity:

Common Acids Found in Everyday Life:

1. Acetic Acid: Found in vinegar, giving it its sour taste.
2. Citric Acid: Present in citrus fruits like lemons and oranges.
3. Lactic Acid: Produced in muscles during strenuous activity and found in sour milk products.
4. Carbonic Acid: Forms when carbon dioxide dissolves in water (found in carbonated drinks).
5. Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C): A vital nutrient found in various fruits and vegetables.

Strong Inorganic Acids (often used in industrial settings):

6. Sulfuric Acid (H₂SO₄): A highly corrosive acid used in many industrial processes. (Source: Acid Names and Anions home.miracosta.edu)
7. Nitric Acid (HNO₃): Used in the production of fertilizers and explosives. (Source: Acid Names and Anions home.miracosta.edu)
8. Hydrochloric Acid (HCl): A strong acid found in gastric juices and used in industrial cleaning. (Source: Acid Names and Anions home.miracosta.edu)
9. Phosphoric Acid (H₃PO₄): Used in fertilizers and food additives. (Source: Acid Names and Anions home.miracosta.edu)
10. Perchloric Acid (HClO₄): A very strong oxidizing acid used in analytical chemistry. (Source: Acid Names and Anions home.miracosta.edu)

Other Important Acids:

11. Formic Acid: Found in ant stings and bee venom.
12. Tartaric Acid: Present in grapes and used in baking powder.
13. Malic Acid: Found in apples and other fruits.
14. Butyric Acid: Gives rancid butter its characteristic smell.
15. Oxalic Acid: Found in spinach and rhubarb.

Less Common or Specialized Acids:

16. Hydrofluoric Acid (HF): Used in etching glass and other industrial applications.
17. Hydrobromic Acid (HBr): Used in various chemical syntheses. (Source: Acid Names and Anions home.miracosta.edu)
18. Nitrous Acid (HNO₂): Used in diazotization reactions. (Source: Acid Names and Anions home.miracosta.edu)
19. Phosphorous Acid (H₃PO₃): Used in some chemical processes. (Source: Acid Names and Anions home.miracosta.edu)
20. Sulfurous Acid (H₂SO₃): A weak acid formed when sulfur dioxide dissolves in water. (Source: Acid Names and Anions home.miracosta.edu)