| Acetic acid (CH3COOH) is composed of two carbon, two oxygen and four hydrogen atoms. The two carbon
atoms are bound by a single bond. The central carbon is bound to one oxygen atom by a double bond and to a second oxygen by a single bond.
Two unshared electron pairs are present on both oxygen atoms (indicated by the yellow arrows). Each carbon atom has 8 electrons
in its valence shell, each oxygen has 8 electrons in its valence shell and each
hydrogen has 2 electrons in its valence shell. This fulfills the Octet Rule.
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| Acetic acid has trigonal planar molecular shape around the carbon atom bound to the oxygens,
tetrahedral molecular shape around the methyl carbon, and bent molecular shape around the
oxygen atom with the single bonds.
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| The electron pair geometry around the carbon atom bound
to the oxygens is trigonal planar. The electron pair geometry around the methyl carbon and the oxygen atom with
the single bonds is tetrahedral.
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| This is the structural formula for acetic acid.
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| Acetic acid has molecular polarity. The partial specific negative charge is on the oxygen atom and
the partial specific positive charge is on the hydrogen atom.
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