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dichromic acid

dichromic acid

9.9
An acid that exists only in water solution and forms dichromate salts
  • noun
  • /daɪˈkroʊmɪk ˈæsɪd/
  • Specialized
: ácido dicrómico
  • Dichromic acid exists only in aqueous solution and cannot be isolated as a pure substance.

Examples

  • Potassium dichromate is a salt that is derived from dichromic acid.

  • The structure of dichromic acid is important in understanding the chemistry of dichromates.

  • The laboratory used dichromic acid in their experiments.

  • The chemist explained the properties of dichromic acid.

  • Dichromic acid exists only in aqueous solution and cannot be isolated as a pure substance.

  • The structure of dichromic acid is important in understanding the chemistry of dichromates.

  • Potassium dichromate is a salt that is derived from dichromic acid.

Surface Forms

Morphology

dichromic + acid

The head noun 'acid' gives a clear general class, but 'dichromic' is a specialized, technical adjective (not in the learner dictionary) formed from Greek/chemical roots (di- + chrom-). While someone with chemistry knowledge or awareness of 'chromium' might infer it's an acid related to chromium, an average B1 learner who only knows the surface constituents would not be able to derive the precise chemical meaning, so the expression is only partially transparent.

Etymology

Dichromic acid comes from its parts: di- means 'two', chromic comes from a word for 'colour', and acid tells you it is an acid. So imagine two bright chromium atoms in water; that image helps you remember it is an acid with two chromium atoms that exists only in solution and forms dichromate salts.