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nucleic acid

(Encyclopedia)CE5 Replication of strands of DNA CE5 nucleic acid, any of a group of organic substances found in the chromosomes of living cells and viruses that play a central role in the storage and replica...

boric acid

(Encyclopedia)boric acid, any one of the three chemical compounds, orthoboric (or boracic) acid, metaboric acid, and tetraboric (or pyroboric) acid; the term often refers simply to orthoboric acid. The acids may be...

gallic acid

(Encyclopedia)gallic acid or 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid trīˌhīdrŏkˈsēbĕnzōˈĭk [key], C6H2(OH)3CO2H, colorless crystalline organic acid found in gallnuts, sumach, tea leaves, oak bark, and many other pla...

oxalic acid

(Encyclopedia)oxalic acid ĕthˌāndīōĭk [key], HO2CCO2H, a colorless, crystalline organic carboxylic acid that melts at 189℃ with sublimation. Oxalic acid and oxalate salts are poisonous. Oxalic acid is found...

fumaric acid

(Encyclopedia)fumaric acid fyo͞omărˈĭk [key] or trans-butenedioic acid, HO2CCH=CHCO2H, unsaturated dicarboxylic acid that melts at 287℃. Maleic acid, or cis-butenedioic acid, is a geometric isomer of fumaric ...

butyric acid

(Encyclopedia)butyric acid byo͞otənōˈĭk [key], CH3CH2CH2CO2H, viscous, foul-smelling, liquid carboxylic acid; m.p. about −5℃; b.p. 163.5℃. It is miscible with water, ethanol, and ether. It is a low molec...

sulfuric acid

(Encyclopedia)sulfuric acid, chemical compound, H2SO4, colorless, odorless, extremely corrosive, oily liquid. It is sometimes called oil of vitriol. Although sulfuric acid is now one of the most widely used c...

lactic acid

(Encyclopedia)lactic acid, CH3CHOHCO2H, a colorless liquid organic acid. It is miscible with water or ethanol. Lactic acid is a fermentation product of lactose (milk sugar); it is present in sour milk, koumiss, leb...

nitric acid

(Encyclopedia)nitric acid, chemical compound, HNO3, colorless, highly corrosive, poisonous liquid that gives off choking red or yellow fumes in moist air. It is miscible with water in all proportions. It forms an a...

phosphoric acid

(Encyclopedia)phosphoric acid, any one of three chemical compounds made up of phosphorus, oxygen, and hydrogen (see acids and bases). The most common, orthophosphoric acid, H3PO4, is usually simply called phosphori...