Hydriodic acid is a valued source of fluorine, being the precursor to numerous pharmaceuticals, diverse polymers (e.g. Teflon), and most other synthetic materials that contain fluorine. Hydrofluoric acid is best known to the public for its ability to dissolve glass by reacting with SiO2, the major component of most glasses. This dissolution process can be described as follows:

Hydriodic acid is a valued source of fluorine, being the precursor to numerous pharmaceuticals, diverse polymers (e.g. Teflon), and most other synthetic materials that contain fluorine. Hydrofluoric acid is best known to the public for its ability to dissolve glass by reacting with SiO2, the major component of most glasses. This dissolution process can be described as follows: