Peroxyacetic acid is a weaker acid than acetic acid. Explain.

Explanation

To explain why peroxyacetic acid is a weaker acid than acetic acid, we can follow these steps:

### Step 1: Understand the Structures
- **Acetic Acid (CH₃COOH)**: Acetic acid has a carboxylic acid functional group (-COOH) where the carbon is double-bonded to an oxygen (C=O) and single-bonded to a hydroxyl group (OH).
- **Peroxyacetic Acid (CH₃C(O)O-OH)**: Peroxyacetic acid has a similar structure but includes a peroxide group (-O-O-) attached to the acetic acid structure.

### Step 2: Ionization of Acids
- When acetic acid ionizes, it forms the acetate ion (CH₃COO⁻) and a proton (H⁺). The acetate ion is stabilized by resonance, meaning the negative charge can be delocalized over the two oxygen atoms.
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