phosphorous acid
Definition
- Noun:
- A specific inorganic chemical compound: Phosphorous acid refers to a clear or yellow-colored acid with the chemical formula H₃PO₂. It is monobasic, meaning it has one replaceable hydrogen atom. This compound is distinct from phosphoric acid (H₃PO₄).
Usage
- The term "phosphorous acid" is used as a singular, uncountable noun to name this specific chemical compound. It is primarily used in scientific, industrial, and educational contexts.
Examples
- Noun:
- Phosphorous acid is primarily used as a reducing agent in chemical synthesis.
- The laboratory prepared a dilute solution of phosphorous acid for the experiment.
- The stability of phosphorous acid depends on storage conditions.
Advanced Usage
- Technical Context: In chemistry, "phosphorous acid" specifically denotes H₃PO₂, also known as hypophosphorous acid. It is important not to confuse it with phosphoric acid or phosphorus acid (H₃PO₃).
Variants and Related Words
- Hypophosphorous acid (n): An alternative systematic name for phosphorous acid (H₃PO₂).
- Phosphite (n): A salt or ester derived from phosphorous acid (H₃PO₃), not H₃PO₂. This highlights a common point of confusion.
- Phosphoric acid (n): A different, more common acid with the formula H₃PO₄.
Synonyms
- Hypophosphorous acid: This is the IUPAC-preferred name for the compound H₃PO₂.
Notes on Meaning
- The term "phosphorous acid" can be ambiguous in older or non-technical texts, as it was sometimes used to refer to phosphorus acid (H₃PO₃). In modern technical usage, it is clearly defined as H₃PO₂. The reference to being "monobasic" in the definition is a key distinguishing property.
Noun
-
a clear or yellow monobasic acid (H3PO2)
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