Carbolic acid is also known as
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Phenol
Carbolic acid is the common name of phenol, \( \ce{C6H5OH} \) (hydroxybenzene). It is called an “acid” because it is weakly acidic: it dissolves in aqueous NaOH to form sodium phenoxide.
\( \displaystyle \ce{C6H5OH + NaOH -> C6H5O^-Na^+ + H2O} \)
Some other common names worth remembering:
Acetic acid: ethanoic acid, \( \ce{CH3COOH} \).
Ethyl acetate: ethyl ethanoate, \( \ce{CH3COOC2H5} \), an ester.
Cresols: methylphenols, \( \ce{CH3C6H4OH} \) (o-, m- and p-).
NCERT (2026-27 edition):
Preparation of Phenols
