Unit: 3 - carboxylic acids

Question 1

What are the uses of carboxylic acids?

Answer 1

Uses of carboxylic acids:
carboxylic acids are used in the preparation of preservatives, soaps and medicines;

vinegar is a solution of ethanoic acid, with molecular formula CH3COOH

vinegar is used in household cleaning products as it is a non-toxic acid so can be used safely in household situations.

Question 2

What is the structure of carboxyl acids?

Answer 2

arboxylic acids can be identified by the carboxyl functional group, -COOH

molecular formulae can be written and structural formulae drawn, from the systematic names of straight-chain

carboxylic acids, containing no more than eight carbons;
carboxylic acids can be represented by the general formula CnH2n+1COOH

Question 3

How do we name carboxylic acids?

Answer 3

straight-chain carboxylic acids can be systematically named from structural formulae containing no more than eight carbons.

Question 4

How does carboxylic acid get neutralized?

Answer 4

solutions of carboxylic acids have a pH less than 7 and like other acids, can react with metals, metal oxides, hydroxides and carbonates forming salts;

salts formed from straight chain carboxylic acids containing no more than eight carbons, can be named.

Question 5

What are the properties of carboxylic acids?

Answer 5

methanoic, ethanoic, propanoic and butanoic acid are miscible in water, thereafter the solubility decreases as size increases;
as carboxylic acids increase in size, their melting and boiling points increase due to the increasing strength of the intermolecular forces;
carboxylic acids are weak acids and so have a pH less than 7.