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The acid character of ethanoic acid

Adapted from Funscience

Preparation of an indicator

We start with red cabbage: Boiled for half an hour in water. Recovering the extract formed: This is the color indicator.

Test

With a drop of vinegar (solution of $CH_3COOH$) is observed a turn at red. This turn is characteristic of acids. So $CH_3COOH$ (ethanoic acid) is also called acetic acid (acetum = vinegar)

Conductivity test

A light bulb is used to study the conductivity of solutions. The result in the case of acetic acid: ..and in the case of chlorhydric acid (completely dissociated):

A weak acid

The dissociation of acetic acid is incomplete or weak:

$CH_3COOH$ $+$ $H_2O$ $\rightleftarrows $ $CH_3COO^-$ $+$ $H_3O^+$ In a simplified form: $CH_3COOH$ $ \rightleftarrows $ $ CH_3COO^-$ $+$ $H^+$