Acetic Acid Molecular Formula C2H4O2, 3D Model

Acetic acid (C2H4O2, CAS 64-19-7) — a free educational 3D molecular model for teachers and students, by MolGod.org. Read the atoms directly: each sphere bears an engraved element symbol.

Most printable molecule files rely on colour coding, yet the STL format carries no colour and a single-filament print loses it entirely. MolGod models carry the chemical symbol on every ball as an engraving, which survives slicing, printing and handling. Our goal is to let students understand on their own how the atoms are arranged, how they are bonded and what the 3D geometry looks like, straight from the model in their hands. It shortens the path from lesson plan to printed model, because no one has to build the molecule or add labels by hand. Curious about the science behind the engraving? The project page is at How the engraved atom letters are designed.

Ask the class whether Acetic acid contains a ring. It does not: 8 atoms and 7 bonds (6 single and 1 double) make up an open structure. A five-minute warm-up: read the symbol on every sphere and write down the totals (2 C + 4 H + 2 O = 8 atoms). Worth bringing out when the syllabus reaches the carbonyl group (C=O). Want a comparison? The most similar structures in the MolGod.org collection are acetone (CAS 67-64-1) and Butanedione (CAS 431-03-8). Before any theory, let students hunt on the model for the carboxylic acid group (-COOH).

Teachers and students can use this MolGod.org model free of charge. Teachers: let students set the model beside a skeletal formula and list what the drawing omits.

This printable molecule is free to use in lessons, clubs and workshops. If you share a photo, a lesson or an adapted version, the licence (CC BY-SA 4.0) asks for credit to "MolGod.org" as the model's author, a link to the original and to the licence text, a note of what you changed, and the same licence for adaptations; the attribution line below is ready to copy. No sign-up, no fees and no review required. Teachers and students, we read every comment. Tell us in a review how the model worked for you and what we could do better for education; for longer feedback write to Write to the MolGod team. The comment section is open for discussion: how did you introduce this molecule, and what did your students notice first? Looking for another compound? We gladly create an engraved 3D model for any CAS number you send us.

Full record and more free models: Acetic acid, CAS 64-19-7: structure, properties and 3D viewer
Licence & provenance: Licence record for this Acetic acid model
Same file on Wikimedia Commons: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Acetic_acid-3D-molecular-model-engraved-CAS-64-19-7.stl

A ball-and-stick model of Acetic acid with each element symbol recessed into its atom sphere, generated by MolGod.org from a PubChem-computed 3D conformer (not an experimental crystal structure); atomic coordinates and connectivity are unchanged. STL mesh: 102,598 triangles, closed (watertight) single solid. Coordinates in ångström (STL stores no unit) — scale the model deliberately in your slicer.

Names in other languages: Essigsäure (de); acide acétique (fr); acido acetico (it); azijnzuur (nl); kwas octowy (pl); 乙酸 (zh).

Chemical identity

• CAS Registry Number: 64-19-7

• Molecular formula: C2H4O2

• Molar mass: 60.05 g/mol (exact mass 60.021129366)

• IUPAC name: acetic acid

• MolGod ID: MG_880-286-414-97 (Permanent MolGod record MG_880-286-414-97)

• PubChem CID: 176 (https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/176)

• Wikidata: Q47512 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q47512)

• EC number: 200-580-7

• ChemSpider ID: 171

• InChIKey: QTBSBXVTEAMEQO-UHFFFAOYSA-N

• SMILES: CC(=O)O

Required attribution (CC BY-SA 4.0): "Acetic acid 3D model by MolGod.org — https://molgod.org/molecule/64-19-7/ — CC BY-SA 4.0"
Licence text: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/