Memory Aid: -COOH = Acid, -anoic acid Ending
Part of Carboxylic Acids · GCSE GCSE Chemistry revision
This memory aid covers Memory Aid: -COOH = Acid, -anoic acid Ending within Carboxylic Acids for GCSE Chemistry. Revise Carboxylic Acids in Organic Chemistry for GCSE Chemistry with 22 exam-style questions and 15 flashcards. This topic appears less often, but it can still be a useful differentiator on mixed-topic papers. It is section 12 of 15 in this topic. Use it for quick recall, then test yourself straight afterwards so the memory aid becomes usable in an answer.
Topic position
Section 12 of 15
Practice
22 questions
Recall
15 flashcards
🧠 Memory Aid: -COOH = Acid, -anoic acid Ending
Two simple rules to remember carboxylic acids:
- Functional group = -COOH (carboxyl group)
- Naming = same prefix as alkane + "-anoic acid" ending
Meth-anoic, Eth-anoic, Prop-anoic, But-anoic acid
Test for carboxylic acids: Add sodium carbonate — "If it fizzes, it's an acid". The fizzing is CO₂ being produced.
Oxidation pathway: Alcohol → [oxidise] → Carboxylic Acid. Think: wine (ethanol) + air (oxygen) → vinegar (ethanoic acid). Oxidation goes UP the functional group "ladder".
Keep building this topic
Read this section alongside the surrounding pages in Carboxylic Acids. That gives you the full topic sequence instead of a single isolated revision point.
Practice Questions for Carboxylic Acids
What is the functional group present in all carboxylic acids?
Explain why carboxylic acids are described as weak acids.
Quick Recall Flashcards
22 questions on Carboxylic Acids — practise free
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