What is the functional group found in alcohols?

The functional group found in alcohols is the hydroxyl group, denoted as -OH. This group is characterized by a carbon atom bonded to a hydroxyl group, which consists of an oxygen atom bonded to a hydrogen atom. The presence of this functional group is what defines alcohols and imparts certain properties to them.

Alcohols generally have properties such as increased solubility in water compared to hydrocarbons, due to the polar nature of the hydroxyl group. This functional group also influences the physical properties, such as boiling point and reactivity, of the compounds that contain it.

In contrast, other functional groups do not apply to alcohols. The carbonyl group is characteristic of aldehydes and ketones, the carboxylic acid group pertains to carboxylic acids, and the amine group is found in amines. Therefore, the identification of the hydroxyl group as the functional group in alcohols is accurate and crucial for understanding their chemical behavior.