Final answer:
The acids ranked from most to least acidic are sulfuric acid (H2SO4), hydrochloric acid (HCl), nitric acid (HNO3), and acetic acid (CH3COOH). Sulfuric acid is the most acidic as it is a strong acid that completely dissociates in water, followed by hydrochloric acid and nitric acid, which are also strong acids. Acetic acid is a weak acid and is the least acidic of the four.
Step-by-step explanation:
To rank the acids from most to least acidic, we need to consider the strength of the acids. The strength of an acid is determined by its ability to donate protons (H+) in water. Strong acids completely dissociate in water, while weak acids only partially dissociate. Here is the list of acids provided, organized from most to least acidic:
- Sulfuric acid (H2SO4): This is a strong acid that completely dissociates in water.
- Hydrochloric acid (HCl): Also a strong acid, it completely dissociates into H+ and Cl-.
- Nitric acid (HNO3): Nitric acid is another strong acid that fully dissociates in water.
- Acetic acid (CH3COOH): This is a weak acid because it does not fully dissociate in water, and less than 1% of acetic acid dissociates into ions.
Therefore, the correct order from most to least acidic is: sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, and acetic acid.