Arrange the following in increasing order of basicity Phenol Nitrophenol, cresol

Explanation

To arrange phenol, nitrophenol, and cresol in increasing order of basicity, we will analyze the structures and the effects of substituents on the basicity of these compounds. Here's a step-by-step solution:

### Step 1: Understand the Structures
- **Phenol (C6H5OH)**: A benzene ring with a hydroxyl (-OH) group attached.
- **Nitrophenol (C6H4(NO2)OH)**: A phenol with a nitro (-NO2) group, typically in the para position.
- **Cresol (C7H8O)**: A methyl-substituted phenol, which can exist in ortho, meta, or para positions. For this analysis, we consider para-cresol (C6H4(CH3)OH).

### Step 2: Identify the Conjugate Acids
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