# So - what's the strongest acid?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-the-strongest-acid/129990>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 28, 2002, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-the-strongest-acid/129990 "2002-09-28T05:21:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\
**Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-the-strongest-acid/129990/41 "2012-03-21T15:52:20Z")

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> [@Joey\_P](#):
>
> The rare and elusive Double Zombie thread. At least Springears stuck around after he reanimated it.

Watch me blow your mind. His name is spin gears.

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**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\
**Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-the-strongest-acid/129990/42 "2012-03-21T16:32:50Z")

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This thread makes me angry and nervous.

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**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\
**Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-the-strongest-acid/129990/43 "2012-03-21T16:41:10Z")

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Which acid is recommended for killing zombies?

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**Author:** ![Disheavel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@Disheavel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disheavel)\
**Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-the-strongest-acid/129990/44 "2012-03-21T18:23:45Z")

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> [@Alka\_Seltzer](#):
>
> This thread makes me angry and nervous.

Making you feel all bubbly? Or is there something else causing your fizz?

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**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\
**Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-the-strongest-acid/129990/45 "2012-03-21T19:52:26Z")

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I had always heard (as a layman) aqua regia followed by aqua fortis.

Can someone give the quick (paragraph or less) distinction between “strong” and “weak” acids and how that relates to “Ooohhh that stings.” and “Where is my hand?”

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**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\
**Post date:** [March 21, 2012, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-the-strongest-acid/129990/46 "2012-03-21T20:05:57Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> Can someone give the quick (paragraph or less) distinction between “strong” and “weak” acids and how that relates to “Ooohhh that stings.” and “Where is my hand?”

“Strong” and “weak” acids, in layman’s terms, relate to how much base a given quantity of them will neutralize. This is only incidentally related to the question of how much damage they’ll do: Hydrochloric acid, for instance, is among the strongest of acids, but if you spill it on yourself, it’s just a matter of a casual stroll over to the sink to leisurely rinse it off, and no harm done. Hydrofluoric acid, meanwhile, is relatively weak, but is probably the nastiest chemical you’ll ever hear of. And “how much damage they’ll do” is a fuzzy question to begin with, since it depends on what you’re trying to do the damage to: Copper, for instance, is completely immune to most acids, but nitric acid specifically will attack it furiously.

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