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Vinegar is a common household liquid widely used in cooking, food preservation, cleaning, and even some medicinal applications. Chemically, vinegar is known as dilute acetic acid, which means it is a solution of acetic acid (CH₃COOH) mixed with water. Typically, vinegar contains about 4–8% acetic acid by volume and the rest is water, giving it its characteristic sour taste and strong smell.Acetic acid is a weak organic acid formed naturally during the fermentation process. When ethanol (alcohol) from fruits, grains, or other sources undergoes fermentation by specific bacteria (Acetobacter), it is oxidized into acetic acid. This is why vinegar is often produced from fermented wine, apple cider, or rice.
The acidity of vinegar makes it a good food preservative because it prevents the growth of harmful bacteria in pickles, sauces, and other food products. In addition to culinary uses, vinegar is also used for cleaning, disinfecting, and removing stains, thanks to its acidic nature.
The other options in the question refer to different chemical substances:
Sodium nitrate is a salt used in fertilizers and food preservation but is unrelated to vinegar.
Chloride of lime is a bleaching agent (calcium hypochlorite).
Calcium is a chemical element, not the main component of vinegar.
Vinegar’s chemical identity as dilute acetic acid is an important concept in Chemistry, helping students understand organic acids, fermentation, and acid-base reactions. It demonstrates how naturally occurring biological processes can create useful chemical compounds that are part of everyday life.
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