Classification of Carboxylic acids

(a) Carboxylic acids are categorized as dicarboxylic acids, tricarboxylic acids and monocarboxylic acids etc. depending upon the number of - COOH groups available in the molecule.

(b) Monocarboxylic acids of aliphatic series are generally termed as fatty acids like palmitic acid (C₁₅H₃₁COOH) and stearic acid C₁₇H₃₅COOH.

(c) The general formula for monocarboxylic acids is Cnh_2n+1COOH or CnH_2nCOOH. In which n = number of carbon atoms.

(d) The carboxylic acids might be aliphatic or aromatic depending on if - COOH group is attached to aliphatic alkyl chain or aryl group correspondingly.