What is formic acid?
Q: What is formic acid?
A: Formic acid is the simplest carboxylic acid with the chemical formula HCO2H. It is commonly used by many animals for defense.
Q: Where did the name "formic" come from?
A: The name "formic" comes from the Latin word for ant, formica, as the acid was first isolated by the distillation of ant bodies.
Q: What are esters, salts, and anions derived from formic acid called?
A: Esters, salts, and the anions derived from formic acid are called formates.
Q: Who was the first person to obtain formic acid?
A: English naturalist John Ray was the first to obtain formic acid by distilling ants in 1671.
Q: In what animals is formic acid commonly found in nature?
A: Formic acid is found in most ants, and wood ants from the genus Formica can spray it on prey or to defend the nest. It is also found in the trichomes of stinging nettle (Urtica dioica).
Q: How is formic acid a naturally occurring component of the atmosphere?
A: Formic acid is a naturally occurring component of the atmosphere due primarily to forest emissions.
Q: What is the trivial name for formic acid in some languages, and what does it mean?
A: The trivial name for formic acid in some languages means "ant-acid," such as Dutch mierenzuur, Danish myresyre, Faroese meyrusýra, Français acide formique, and German Ameisensäure.
