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Glite Dictionary
silicic acid

silicic acid

6.5
A weak jellylike acid that forms when silica reacts with water and often dissolves in water or occurs in minerals
  • noun
  • /sɪˈlɪsɪk ˈæsɪd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : ácido silícico
  • When dissolved in water, silicic acid forms a jellylike solution that is useful in various industrial applications.

Examples

  • The formation of silicic acid occurs when silica reacts with water.

  • Geologists analyze silicic acid content in groundwater to study mineral weathering.

  • At neutral pH, silicic acid remains largely uncharged and soluble in solution.

  • The solution contained silicic acid as its main component.

  • Is silicic acid safe for use in cosmetics?

  • During the testing process, silicic acid was identified as a key factor influencing the mineral composition of the samples.

  • Scientists measure the concentration of silicic acid in different water sources to understand its impact on ecosystem health.

Surface Forms

silicic acid singular
silicic acids plural

Morphology

silicic + acid

The noun is a straightforward adjective+noun composition: 'silicic' = 'pertaining to silica' and 'acid' = a corrosive substance, so a learner who knows both constituents can infer it is an acid related to silica. This follows common compounding patterns and has clear cross-linguistic cognates (e.g., Spanish 'ácido silícico'), so the basic meaning is directly derivable even if specific chemical details remain technical.

Etymology

The noun silicic acid comes from the simple idea of an acid made from silicic material, basically 'silica', the stuff in sand and rocks. When that material meets water it can make a weak, jellylike acid, so the name fits the current meaning 'a weak, jellylike acid made when silica meets water'.