Definition

Noun: - A former name for hydrochloric acid: "Muriatic acid" is an archaic or industrial term for hydrochloric acid (HCl), a strong, corrosive, colorless mineral acid. This name is still commonly used in certain commercial and industrial cleaning contexts.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Muriatic acid is often used to clean concrete and masonry surfaces.
  • For this chemical process, we require a diluted solution of muriatic acid.
  • The old recipe called for muriatic acid, which we now know as hydrochloric acid.

Advanced Usage

• "to dilute muriatic acid": The process of carefully adding water to reduce the acid's concentration for safer handling.
  • Always remember to add acid to water when you dilute muriatic acid to prevent dangerous splashes.
• "muriatic acid solution": Refers to the acid mixed with water at a specific concentration.
  • A 10% muriatic acid solution is effective for removing mineral deposits.

Variants and Related Words

• Hydrochloric acid (n): The modern, systematic chemical name for HCl.
  • In the laboratory, hydrochloric acid is used in many experiments.
• Spirit of salt (n): Another historical name for hydrochloric acid.

Synonyms

• Hydrochloric acid: The direct modern synonym.
• HCl: The chemical formula used as a common abbreviation.

Important Notes on Usage

• Safety Context: The term "muriatic acid" is primarily used today in industrial, cleaning, and hardware store contexts. In scientific, academic, and most technical fields, "hydrochloric acid" is the standard and preferred term.
• Chemical Identity: It is crucial to understand that "muriatic acid" and "hydrochloric acid" refer to the same chemical compound, though commercial muriatic acid may contain slight impurities like iron, giving it a yellow tint.

Noun

1. a former name for hydrochloric acid