Arrange the following in decreasing order of their acidic strength and give reason for your answer.
`CH_(3)CH_(2)OH, CH_(3)COOH, ClCH_(2)COOH, FCH_(2)COOH, C_(6)H_(5)CH_(2)COOH`

Explanation

`FCH_(2)COOHgtClCH_(2)COOHgtC_(6)H_(5)CH_(2)COOHgtCH_(3)COOHgtCH_(3)CH_(2)OH`
Reasons
(i) More the electron withdrawing nature of substituent, more is the acidic strength.
(ii) Direct attachment of `C_(6)H_(5)` group increases acidity due to resonance and `sp^(2)` hybridisation.
(iii) Alcohols are weakly acidic than carboxylic acids.