Mineral Acid Definition and List

A mineral acid or inorganic acid is any acid derived from an inorganic compound that dissociates to produce hydrogen ions (H⁺) in water. Mineral acids are highly soluble in water but tend to be insoluble in organic solvents. The inorganic acids are corrosive.

The mineral acids include the bench acids—hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, and nitric acid—so-called because they are the acids most commonly used in a laboratory setting.

A list of the mineral acids includes:

• Hydrochloric acid: HCl
• Nitric acid: HNO₃
• Phosphoric acid: H₃PO₄
• Sulfuric acid: H₂SO₄
• Boric acid: H₃BO₃
• Hydrofluoric acid: HF
• Hydrobromic acid: HBr
• Perchloric acid: HClO₄
• Hydroiodic acid: HI