To determine the correct chemical formula for acetic acid from the given options, let's go through each option and compare it with the known structure of acetic acid.
1. CHO: This formula indicates a molecule with one carbon (C), one hydrogen (H), and one oxygen (O). However, acetic acid is more complex and has more atoms than this formula represents.
2. [tex]$C_2H_4O_2$[/tex]: This formula represents a molecule with two carbons (C), four hydrogens (H), and two oxygens (O), which matches the known structure of acetic acid. Acetic acid has the molecular formula [tex]$C_2H_4O_2$[/tex].
3. [tex]$C_2OH$[/tex]: This formula indicates a molecule with two carbons (C), one oxygen (O), and one hydrogen (H). This is not an accurate representation of acetic acid because it lacks the additional hydrogen and oxygen atoms required for acetic acid's structure.
4. [tex]$C_2O_2H$[/tex]: This formula indicates a molecule with two carbons (C), two oxygens (O), and one hydrogen (H). This is also not an accurate representation of acetic acid as it doesn't match the correct number of hydrogen atoms.
Given these evaluations, the correct chemical formula for acetic acid is:
[tex]$C_2H_4O_2$[/tex]
Therefore, the answer is option 2.
