Formic Acid is the simplest and strongest of the series of aliphatic monobasic acids. It can be represented chemically as H–COOH. It is a colorless liquid with a pungent, penetrating odor. It is miscible with water, alcohol, ether, or ethyl acetate. It is very soluble in acetone. It is corrosive to metals. It is a strong reducing agent, and may act both as an acid and as an aldehyde because the carboxylic group (-COOH) is bound to a hydrogen rather than an alkyl group. Synonyms for formic acid are hydrogencarboxylic acid, and methanoic acid.