Acetic acid is a colorless liquid that has a pungent smell and a sour taste. It is an organic acid with the chemical formula CH3COOH and is also known as ethanoic acid. Acetic acid is produced naturally by some bacteria and fungi, and is also a component of vinegar, giving it its characteristic taste and smell. Acetic acid is widely used in industry, especially in the production of vinyl acetate monomer, which is used to make polymers and plastics.