Official Answer Key & Detailed Solution
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Correct Answer: Option (B) — Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
Concept & Option Breakdown
Standard Reference Verified- Assertion (A) is true: Formic acid ($HCOOH$, $pK_a \approx 3.75$) is more acidic than acetic acid ($CH_3COOH$, $pK_a \approx 4.76$) because acetic acid has an electron-donating methyl group ($+I$ inductive effect) that destabilizes the conjugate base acetate ion.
- Reason (R) is true: Formic acid is an organic carboxylic acid, but this fact alone does not explain why it is stronger than acetic acid (which is also an organic acid).
Both formic acid and acetic acid are organic acids, so merely stating that formic acid is an organic acid cannot explain why it is stronger than another organic acid.
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