Explain the action of acetic acid on ethanol.

Explanation

To explain the action of acetic acid on ethanol, we can break down the process into several steps:

### Step 1: Identify the Reactants
The reactants involved in this reaction are ethanol (C2H5OH) and acetic acid (CH3COOH). Ethanol is an alcohol, and acetic acid is a carboxylic acid.

### Step 2: Understand the Reaction Type
The reaction between ethanol and acetic acid is known as an esterification reaction. In this reaction, an alcohol reacts with a carboxylic acid to form an ester and water.

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