Final answer:
Functional groups are unstable unless bonded to a carbon skeleton, defining chemical characteristics.
Explanation:
Functional groups are indeed chemically unstable unless they are bonded to the carbon skeleton of a molecule. These groups confer specific properties to hydrocarbon or substituted hydrocarbon chains and define the overall chemical characteristics and function of the molecule. For example, the hydroxyl group (-OH) in alcohols is a functional group that determines the chemical properties of alcohols.
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