If CH3COOH is an acid, shouldn't it begin with hydrogen instead of ending with it?
The molecule CH3COOH, also known as acetic acid, is indeed an acid, and it does contain hydrogen atoms. However, the arrangement and placement of the atoms in the molecule can sometimes be a bit confusing.
In the case of CH3COOH, it is a carboxylic acid. Carboxylic acids are characterized by the presence of a carboxyl group (-COOH), which consists of a carbonyl group (C=O) and a hydroxyl group (-OH) attached to the same carbon atom.
In acetic acid, the carboxyl group is attached to a methyl group (CH3), forming CH3COOH. So, the hydrogen atom that is associated with the -OH group actually comes at the end of the molecule, after the carbon and oxygen atoms.
Therefore, while the hydrogen atom is not at the very beginning of the molecular formula, it is still present in the structure of CH3COOH, making it an acid.