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Glite Dictionary
orthophosphoric acid

orthophosphoric acid

7.0
A clear, thick acid that people use in fertilizers, cleaning products, and some soft drinks
  • noun
  • /ˌɔrθoʊˈfɑsfɔrɪk ˈæsɪd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : ácido ortofosfórico
  • Many soft drinks contain orthophosphoric acid as an additive to provide tartness and preserve freshness.

Examples

  • The production of fertilizers relies heavily on industrial quantities of orthophosphoric acid.

  • Always handle orthophosphoric acid with gloves and eye protection because it can cause burns.

  • The orthophosphoric acid is clear.

  • Don't forget to handle the orthophosphoric acid carefully!

  • Many soft drinks contain orthophosphoric acid as an additive to provide tartness and preserve freshness.

  • The production of fertilizers relies heavily on industrial quantities of orthophosphoric acid.

  • Always handle orthophosphoric acid with gloves and eye protection because it can cause burns.

Synonyms

phosphoric acid
vsorthophosphoric acid
  • Specialized
1 4.1

A clear chemical with no smell used in fertilizers, food, and household cleaners

gives a syrupy inorganic chemical description and stresses detergents and some beverages

Surface Forms

orthophosphoric acid singular
orthophosphoric acids plural

Morphology

orthophosphoric + acid

This is a straightforward adjective + noun composition: the modifier 'orthophosphoric' specifies a subtype of 'acid', so a learner who knows the constituents can infer it denotes a specific chemical acid (H3PO4). The naming pattern (type-of + acid) is compositional and cross-linguistically common, making the meaning predictable even if the term is technical.

Etymology

Orthophosphoric acid comes from the part ortho, meaning 'straight' or 'normal', and phosphoric, named after phosphorus, the element linked to its phosphate part. So the name points to the common, or 'normal', form of phosphoric acid found in foods, drinks, and fertilizers.