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cream of tartar

chemical compound

Quick Summary

Cream of tartar is a white crystalline salt with the chemical formula C4H5KO6. It is a form of tartaric acid, a dicarboxylic acid found in plants, particularly in by-products of wine fermentation.12

Cream of tartar has various uses, including in baking powders, hard candies, and taffies. It is also employed in cleaning and polishing metals, such as brass, and in the electrolytic tinning of iron and steel. Historically, tartar was known to ancient civilizations, and the free acid was first isolated in 1769.2

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2 Britannica Sources
  1. cream of tartar
  2. tartaric acid

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