this post was submitted on 25 Jan 2024
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Yes! Earwax is slightly acidic (~6.1 pH) while acetic acid is more acidic (5% vinegar is ~2.5 pH) so the earwax acts as a base in this reaction.
ETA: there may be other things it is reacting with as well, like leftover soap, but this is how acid base reactions work. A chemical does not need to be above pH of 7 to act as a base. The more acidic compound will give its extra hydrogen to the less acidic compound.
Something being less acidic does not mean that it acts like a base
Bubbling occurs as a result of the production of a gas not as a result of an acid/base reaction in of itself. Baking soda and vinegar react to form CO2 (a gas) water and Sodium Acetate. The CO2 that is produced in that reaction is what causes bubbles NOT the acid/base reaction. eg. if you reacted Sodium Hydroxide and vinegar you will not observe bubbling because there is no gas being produced.
Ear wax should not contain anything that should bubble as a result of the introduction of an acid.
Either what OP is observing isnt actually bubbling or there is something in their ear that shouldnt be.
“There’s something in the ear that shouldn’t be”
I would suggest that that something is vinegar.
In an acid base reaction, yes it does. An acid donates a proton, a base accepts a proton. The less acidic compound will accept the proton, making it the base. Acting as a base does not make it alkaline.
Correct, the acid base reaction itself does not cause bubbling. However, baking soda and vinegar are not the only compounds that react to form CO2 (or another gas) in an acid base reaction.
Looking at the components of ear wax reveal it’s composed of a wide variety of different compounds. It’s been a while since I took o chem, so I’m not up to the task of determining which of these components are or are not capable of producing CO2 (or any other gas) in an acid base reaction with acetic acid. Do you have a source detailing these possible chemical reactions?
ETA: The people in this thread are so eager to shut down misinformation that they are actively spreading misinformation that would be rapidly disproven in any gen chem college course. I’ve learned my lesson on trying to share cool chemistry facts with internet strangers.
pH is a measure of the [H+] aqueous concentration. pH = -log10[H+]. Vinegar has a pH of 2 to 3. concentrated HCl can have a negative pH. That DOES NOT mean that the acetic acid in vinegar is a base that reacts with HCl. And what you are claiming would imply that a more dilute solution of vinegar would react with a stronger solution of vinegar which you should understand is absurd. (While acetic acid can be protonated, it requires a strong acid to result in anything other than a very minor/inconsequential equilibrium i.e the hammett acidity function of protonated acetic acid is -6.1) Bases are substances that accept protons. That is not the same thing as having a higher relative pH than something else. i.e acetic acid vs HCl or concentrated Acetic acid vs dilute Acetic acid.
The purpose of my comment has not to list every single example of gas producing reactions. Carbonates, bicarbonates, sulfides and sulfites are the major bases that result in a gas being produced on reaction with a suitable acid. The gen chem courses that Ive taught have a lab that was designed to teach students among other things, that carbonates and bicarbonates react with acids to produce a gas. (CO2) Sulfides and sulfites are not as suitable for that lab due to the production of H2S and SO2 respectively.
The paper you linked to (which you should actually read) discusses the contents of ear wax as being primarily fatty wax like compounds not the carbonates, bicarbonates, sulfides and sulfites that react with acids to form gases.
I am a chemist (and biochemist). You are not sharing "cool chemistry facts" you are sharing misinformation due to your lack of knowledge of the subject you are talking about. You would do well to revist a lot of the topics discussed in gen chem. Chemistry libretext articles on bronsted-lowry and arrhenius bases would be my recommendation.
More acidic means lower pH/higher concentration. What you're thinking regarding acid base reaction is stronger acid which is related to chemical composition of the acid and not related at all with concentration.
Having a stronger acid is a necessary condition for the reaction to occur but not sufficient.
TIL! Thank you.
Please unlearn this. This is wrong.