Ascorbic acid
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Description
A white crystalline, water-soluble vitamin that nautrally occurs in citrus fruits and many vegetables. Ascorbic acid, or vitamin C, is essential in humans for several metabolic functions, such as the formation of healthy skin and the healing of wounds. Vitamin C also prevents scurvy. Ascorbic acid is readily oxidized and as such is used in photographic developer solutions as a reducing agent.
Synonyms and Related Terms
vitamin C; Ascorbinsäur (Deut.); vitamina C (Esp., Port.); acide ascorbique; vitamine C (Fr.); acido ascorbico (It.); ascorbinezuur (Ned.); kwas askorbinowy (Pol.); Askorbinsyra (Sven.);
| Composition | C6H8O6 |
|---|---|
| CAS | 50-81-7 |
| Melting Point | 190-192 |
| Molecular Weight | 176012 |
Sources Checked for Data in Record
- The American Heritage Dictionary or Encarta, via Microsoft Bookshelf 98, Microsoft Corp., 1998
- Encyclopedia Britannica, http://www.britannica.com Comment: "Vitamin C." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2004. 16 Jan. 2004 .
- Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, at http://www.wikipedia.com Comment: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascorbic_acid (Accessed Oct. 18, 2005)