Carboxylic Acids

Question 1

What are carboxylic acids?

Answer 1

homologous series of organic compounds with the functional group -COOH

Question 2

How do you name carboxylic acids?

Answer 2

using the iupac based on the number of carbon atoms in the longest carbon chain and ending the phrase with
‘anoic acid’

Question 3

What is the general formula for carboxylic acids?

Answer 3

CnH2n+1COOH

Question 4

Describe the reactivity of carboxylic acids?

Answer 4

all react like all acids, but they are weak acids so they don’t fully ionise. and they don’t all release their hydrogen ions in water

Question 5

What is vinegar?

Answer 5

an aqueous solution containing ethanoic acid

Question 6

Describe the reactions of carboxylic acids and metal carbonates

Answer 6

carboxylic acid + metal carbonate -> salt + water + carbon dioxide

eg. ethanoic acid + potassium carbonate -> potassium ethanoate + water + carbon dioxide

Question 7

How are carboxylic acids made?

Answer 7

by oxidising an alcohol, it will gain a =O bond and form a carboxylic acid