Encyclopedia > Formic acid

Article Content

Formic acid

Formic acid (more correctly called methanoic acid) is the simplest organic acid. Its formula is H₂C O₂, or HCOOH, structurally as follows:

     H
    /
 O=C
    \
     O
    /
   H

It is found in the stings and bites of many Hymenoptera, including bees, ants, and stinging nettle[?]. It is named for the Latin for ant, formica. This refer to the first discovery in the distillation product of ants.

Its anhydride[?] is carbon monoxide.

All Wikipedia text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License

Search Encyclopedia

Search over one million articles, find something about almost anything!

Featured Article

Class Warfare

... Contents Class Warfare Class Warfare is a book of interviews with Noam Chomsky conducted by David Barsamian[?]. It was first published in the UK by Pluto ...