Dicarboxylic acid

Okay kiddo, so you know about something called acid, right? It's like the opposite of something being basic. Well, dicarboxylic acid is a specific type of acid that has two parts called "carboxylic groups".

Now, these carboxylic groups are made up of two things – carbon and oxygen – and they're connected to a hydrogen atom. The chemical symbol for dicarboxylic acid is HOOC-R-COOH. The "R" part can be any number of different chemical structures, but that's not important for this explanation.

What you need to know is that dicarboxylic acids can be found in lots of different things, like fruits, vegetables, and even in our own bodies. Some examples of dicarboxylic acids that you might have heard of include malic acid (found in apples), succinic acid (found in grapes), and adipic acid (used in making nylon).

These acids are important because they help break down other molecules in our bodies and in the things we eat. They also have other uses, like in making things like detergents and plastics.

So, the next time you hear someone talking about dicarboxylic acid, just remember that it's a type of acid with two carboxylic groups, and it can be found in lots of different things and has lots of different uses.