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

(N/A) The decreasing order of acidic strength is: $FCH_{2}COOH > ClCH_{2}COOH > C_{6}H_{5}CH_{2}COOH > CH_{3}COOH > CH_{3}CH_{2}OH$.
Reasoning:
$1$. The acidity of carboxylic acids depends on the stability of the carboxylate anion (conjugate base).
$2$. Electron-withdrawing groups $(EWG)$ like $F$ and $Cl$ stabilize the carboxylate anion through the inductive effect ($-I$ effect),thereby increasing acidity. Since $F$ is more electronegative than $Cl$,$FCH_{2}COOH$ is more acidic than $ClCH_{2}COOH$.
$3$. $C_{6}H_{5}CH_{2}COOH$ is more acidic than $CH_{3}COOH$ because the phenyl group exerts a weak electron-withdrawing inductive effect.
$4$. $CH_{3}COOH$ is more acidic than $CH_{3}CH_{2}OH$ because the carboxylate ion is resonance-stabilized,whereas the ethoxide ion is not. Alcohols are much weaker acids than carboxylic acids.