What gives acids their ability to eat away at things? And why is hydrogen in so many acids?

Question

Hydroflouric, hydrochloric, and sulfuric acid all have hydrogen and are pretty strong. Bisulfate is exactly sulfuric acid but with one less hydrogen. So what does the extra one cause it to become a acid?

In: 19

Answer 1

Acidic means it has extra H+.

H+ is pretty strong, given it’s essentially a free floating proton, so it overpowers existing bonds, eating at things.