Question

why do HCl, HNO3,etc show acidic characters in aqueous solution while solution of compounds like alcohol and glucose do not show acidic character?

Answer 1

HCl and HNO3 are strong acids (polar in nature) thus releases H+ ions when dissolved in aqueous solutions where as glucose and alcohol molecules are not acids (and non polar in nature) so, they cannot release H+ ions in aqueous solutions. Alcohols partially release H+ ions in aqueous solutions, so they are considered as weak acids. 

please mark as brilliant

Answer 2

They show so because HCl and HNO3 dissociates to form H+ or H3O+ (hydronium) ion and that's why. They show acidic character in aqueous solution...

But Alcohol and glucose do not dissociates to form those ion.. And they dissociates in hydroxyl ions... That will result in increase of basic character... And thus they do not show acidic character in aqueous solution....

Hope it helps...