Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online

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Acid
(998 words)

1. Terminology and history

As commonly understood, an acid is a substance, usually liquid, that has a sour taste and a caustic effect. The basis of the modern chemical definition of acids goes back to the Swedish scientist Svante Arrhenius, who defined acids in 1887 as substances that produce protons or hydrogen ions (H+) when added to water and bases (alkalis) as substances that produce hydroxyl ions (OH--). The term alkali derives from the Arabic word for sodium carbonate (Na2CO3), c…

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Priesner, Claus, “Acid”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online, Editors of the English edition: Graeme Dunphy, Andrew Gow. Original German Edition: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. Im Auftrag des Kulturwissenschaftlichen Instituts (Essen) und in Verbindung mit den Fachherausgebern herausgegeben von Friedrich Jaeger. Copyright © J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag GmbH 2005–2012. Consulted online on 19 March 2024 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_COM_026976>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20160321



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