Question

Which of the following functional groups acts most like an acid in water? A) carboxyl B) amino C) carbonyl D) hydroxyl.

I got answer D wrong on my homework and would like to know why and could you please explain briefly why the correct answer is right.

Answer 1

The functional group that acts most like an acid in water is the carboxyl group found in carboxylic acids, due to its ability to release a hydrogen ion and form a carboxylate anion and hydronium ion in solution.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct answer to the question of which functional group acts most like an acid in water is A) carboxyl. Carboxylic acids have a carboxyl group, which is made up of a carbonyl (C=O) and a hydroxyl (-OH) group. In water, the hydroxyl group can release a hydrogen ion, making the molecule an acid. Carboxylic acids, like acetic acid, partially dissociate in water to form carboxylate anions and hydronium ions, exhibiting their acidic nature. This is different from hydroxyl groups, which generally act as weak acids and do not donate protons as readily as carboxylic acids.

Answer 2

Answer : A - carboxyl group.

The carbon in the carboxyl group is bonded to a hydroxyl group and also it is double bonded to an oxygen group.

The carboxyl group when it is dissolved in a solution donates it's hydrogen ion(H+ ion). When it is dissolved in water, the carboxyl group loses its H+ ion to form negatively charged ion.

RCOOH + H2O⇄RCOO- + H3O+

Thus the carboxyl group act as an acid when dissolved in water.