Simple aliphatic carboxylic acids (e.g., formic acid, acetic acid) are soluble in water because the polar carboxyl group (-COOH) can form hydrogen bonds with water molecules. 2. As the hydrocarbon chain length increases in higher carboxylic acids, the nonpolar hydrophobic part dominates, making them practically insoluble in water. 3. The acidity of a carboxylic acid is related to the stability of its conjugate base (carboxylate ion). Alkyl groups are electron-donating, which destabilizes the negative charge on the carboxylate ion. Therefore, increasing the number of carbon atoms (length of the alkyl chain) generally decreases the acidity of aliphatic carboxylic acids. The hydrocarbon chain's size does influence acidity. 4. Assertion (A): Formic acid is a stronger acid than acetic acid. Reason (R): Formic acid is an organic acid.

Asked in UPPCS Prelims 1998 · Topic: Organic Acid (Acidity of Carboxylic Acids: Factors Affecting Acidity (Inductive, Resonance Effects, pKa Values))

1. Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
2. Both A and R are true, but R is NOT a correct explanation of A
3. A is true, but R is false
4. A is false, but R is true

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