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Dilute carboxylic acids react with metals in the same way as other dilute acids (e.g. hydrochloric acid) only more slowly.

For example, dilute ethanoic acid reacts with magnesium with a lot of fizzing to produce a salt and hydrogen, leaving a colourless solution of magnesium ethanoate:

magnesium      +      ethanoic acid      →      magnesium ethanoate      +      hydrogen

Mg (s)         +         2CH₃COOH (aq)         →         (CH₃COO)₂Mg (aq)         +         H₂ (g)

Dilute carboxylic acids react with metal carbonates as they do with other acids, to give a salt, carbon dioxide and water.

For example, dilute ethanoic acid reacts with sodium carbonate with a lot of fizzing to produce a salt,  carbon dioxide and water, leaving a colourless solution of sodium ethanoate:

sodium carbonate      +      ethanoic acid      →      sodium ethanoate      +      carbon dioxide      +      water

Na₂CO₃ (s)         +         2CH₃COOH (aq)         →         2CH₃COONa (aq)         +         CO₂ (g)         +         H₂O (l)

As can be seen in the examples above the charge on the ethanoate ion is -1.