Multiple Choice
Which acid is commonly used in the manufacture of fertilizers and detergents, and also serves as a flavoring agent in beverages?
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3. Chemical Reactions
Naming Acids
Multiple Choice
Which of the following is the correct chemical formula for sulfurous acid?
A
HSO3
B
H2SO4
C
H2S
D
H2SO3
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand that sulfurous acid is an oxyacid of sulfur, meaning it contains hydrogen, sulfur, and oxygen atoms.
Recall that sulfurous acid is formed when sulfur dioxide (SO2) dissolves in water, producing H2SO3.
Recognize that the formula H2SO4 corresponds to sulfuric acid, a different and stronger acid than sulfurous acid.
Note that HSO3 is not a neutral acid formula but rather a polyatomic ion (bisulfite ion), and H2S is hydrogen sulfide, a binary acid without oxygen.
Conclude that the correct chemical formula for sulfurous acid is H2SO3, which contains two hydrogen atoms, one sulfur atom, and three oxygen atoms.
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