There are compounds called carboxylic acids that are composed of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen. An example of a carboxylic acid is acetic acid, better known as vinegar. Another is formic acid which is the characteristic sour odor of ants (and is why formic acid is called formic acid (it comes from insects in the Formicidae (i.e., ants) family)). The thing about carboxylic acids is that in general they smell bad. *Really* bad. The characteristic smell of vomit (and rancid butter) is 2 methyl-butyric acid. Caproic, capric, and caprillic acids all share the common word root of Capricorn, which is for goats, so you can imagine what those three acids smell like. In contrast, things that are ionic tend not to smell. Salt, NaCl, for example, has little odor unless you have fancy salt with spices or herbs infused into it. Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3, or baking soda) or tri-sodium phosphate (Na3PO4, which is used as a cleaning agent) also have little odor. The reason for this is a compound has an odor because a small amount of it evaporates (or sublimes) into the gas phase where it gets into the chemical receptors in your nose. (Try not to think about what this implies when you clean a cat's litter box, if you have a cat that uses a litter box.) Sodium bicarbonate is basic (wants protons) and is used to control odors. Carboxylic acids want to give up protons and become anions. Explain briefly why baking soda might be effective in terms of controlling smells that are from carboxylic acids.

There are compounds called carboxylic acids that are composed of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen. An example of a carboxylic acid is acetic acid, better known as vinegar. Another is formic acid which is the characteristic sour odor of ants (and is why formic acid is called formic acid (it comes from insects in the Formicidae (i.e., ants) family)). The thing about carboxylic acids is that in general they smell bad. *Really* bad. The characteristic smell of vomit (and rancid butter) is 2 methyl-butyric acid. Caproic, capric, and caprillic acids all share the common word root of Capricorn, which is for goats, so you can imagine what those three acids smell like.

In contrast, things that are ionic tend not to smell. Salt, NaCl, for example, has little odor unless you have fancy salt with spices or herbs infused into it. Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃, or baking soda) or tri-sodium phosphate (Na₃PO₄, which is used as a cleaning agent) also have little odor. The reason for this is a compound has an odor because a small amount of it evaporates (or sublimes) into the gas phase where it gets into the chemical receptors in your nose. (Try not to think about what this implies when you clean a cat's litter box, if you have a cat that uses a litter box.)

Sodium bicarbonate is basic (wants protons) and is used to control odors. Carboxylic acids want to give up protons and become anions. Explain briefly why baking soda might be effective in terms of controlling smells that are from carboxylic acids.