Which of the following is the correct order of acidity for the given compounds?
Practice Questions
1 question
Q1
Which of the following is the correct order of acidity for the given compounds?
Phenol > Ethanol > Water
Ethanol > Water > Phenol
Water > Phenol > Ethanol
Phenol > Water > Ethanol
Phenol is more acidic than ethanol and water due to the resonance stabilization of the phenoxide ion.
Questions & Step-by-step Solutions
1 item
Q
Q: Which of the following is the correct order of acidity for the given compounds?
Solution: Phenol is more acidic than ethanol and water due to the resonance stabilization of the phenoxide ion.
Steps: 6
Step 1: Understand that acidity refers to how easily a compound can donate a proton (H+).
Step 2: Identify the compounds in the question: phenol, ethanol, and water.
Step 3: Recognize that phenol has a hydroxyl group (-OH) attached to a benzene ring.
Step 4: Know that when phenol donates a proton, it forms a phenoxide ion, which is stabilized by resonance (the ability of electrons to be shared across the benzene ring).
Step 5: Compare this to ethanol and water: when they donate a proton, they do not have the same resonance stabilization.
Step 6: Conclude that because of the resonance stabilization, phenol is more acidic than both ethanol and water.
