Question

Which one of the following is a vitamin?

• A. Citric acid
• B. Folic acid
• C. Glutamic acid
• D. Linoleic acid

Hint:

Only one of these four acids belongs to the vitamin B group.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understand what defines a vitamin.
Vitamins are organic compounds that the body needs in small amounts for normal growth and metabolism, and most of them cannot be made by the body itself, so they must come from food.

Step 2: Identify folic acid.
Folic acid is also known as vitamin B9. It is needed to make new cells, to form red blood cells, and it is especially important during pregnancy to prevent birth defects of the brain and spine in the developing baby.

Step 3: Rule out the other options.
Citric acid is an organic acid found in citrus fruits like lemon and orange, and it is also a key part of the citric acid cycle that cells use to release energy, but it is not classified as a vitamin. Glutamic acid is an amino acid, one of the building blocks of proteins, not a vitamin. Linoleic acid is an essential fatty acid the body needs from food, but fatty acids are classed as lipids, not vitamins.

Step 4: Final answer.
Among the given options, only folic acid is a vitamin.
\[ \boxed{\text{Folic acid}} \]