Definition of Acidic
Acidic is an adjective meaning "acid forming." It describes a solution that produces or contains acid. Liquids are either acidic, basic or neutral. Acidic solutions contain a high amount of hydrogen ions (H+).
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Etymology
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According to the Oxford English Dictionary, acid--the root word of acidic--is derived from the French "acide" or the Latin "acidus" an adjective of state. In Latin, it comes from "ace-re" meaning to be sour, from the root word "ac," which means "sharp."
History
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The first use of the word acid dates back to 1611, while 1880 dates the first usage of the word acidic, according to the Oxford English Dictionary.
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Containing Acid
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Biology Online defines acidic as having a high amount of silica, an element from an acidic rock. Acidic describes anything having acid, and it also defines anything that tastes sour, such as vinegar or lemon.
pH Scale
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On the pH scale, acids are less than the neutral number 7 and denote higher concentrations of hydrogen ions (H+) over the basic hydroxide ions (-OH). The lower the number on the pH scale, the stronger the acid of the solution, according to Chem4Kids.com.
Significance
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When placed in a water solution, an acid breaks down and its hydrogen ions (H+) separate from the acid's other components. The free hydrogen ions (H+) make the solution acidic.
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