Final answer:
Acetic acid is an example of a carboxylic organic acid with the chemical formula CH₃COOH. Carboxylic acids contain a carboxyl group, and they can dissociate in water to release a proton. Acetic acid is used to demonstrate the general structure R-COOH and naming conventions for carboxylic acids.
Step-by-step explanation:
An example of a carboxylic organic acid is acetic acid, which is the main component of vinegar. It is an organic compound with the chemical formula CH₃COOH. As with all carboxylic acids, acetic acid contains a functional group known as the carboxyl group, which consists of a carbonyl group (C=O) and a hydroxyl group (-OH) covalently bonded to the same carbon atom. This general structure is represented as R-COOH, where 'R' can be a hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon chain.
Carboxylic acids like acetic acid are known for participating in reactions of organic acids, where they can dissociate in water and release a proton (H⁺), thus behaving as an acid. The naming of carboxylic acids, such as methanoic acid or butanoic acid, follows the rule where the longest continuous chain containing the carboxyl group is identified, and the name of the corresponding alkane is modified by replacing the -e ending with -oic acid.