The names and formulae of the first four carboxylic acids in their homologous series are shown in the table below.
| Name of carboxylic acid | Formula |
|---|---|
| methanoic acid | HCOOH\text{HCOOH}HCOOH |
| ethanoic acid | CH3COOH\text{CH}_3\text{COOH}CH3COOH |
| propanoic acid | C2H5COOH\text{C}_2\text{H}_5\text{COOH}C2H5COOH |
| butanoic acid | C3H7COOH\text{C}_3\text{H}_7\text{COOH}C3H7COOH |
Pentanoic acid is the next member of this homologous series. A molecule of pentanoic acid contains five carbon atoms.
Suggest the formula of a molecule of pentanoic acid.
Practise Edexcel GCSE Chemistry Alcohols and carboxylic acids with exam-style questions for Foundation and Higher tier. 55 questions, matched to the Edexcel GCSE Chemistry (1CH0) specification and written in Paper 1 and Paper 2 style. Every question includes a full worked solution and mark scheme, so you can see where marks are awarded rather than just whether you got the answer right.
