Which of the types of compounds listed below is/are considered to be functional groups, or families, of organic compounds? salts (example: table salt, sodium chloride) alcohols (example: ethyl alcohol, the alcohol found in beer and wine) carboxylic acids (example: formic acid, found in the venom of red ants) bases (example: ammonia)?

Organic compounds are characterized by the presence of carbon and hydrogen in their chemical structure.
There are many families of organic compounds such as alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, alcohols, acids, esters, ethers ... etc. Each family is characterized by the presence of a functional group that gives the molecule its specific chemical properties.
Salts like the table salt or sodium chloride are not considered to be organic molecule because they don't have carbon and hydrogen.
Alcohols as organic molecules. Alcohols are a big family of organic compounds that are characterized by the presence of the functional group OH.
Carboxylic acids are organic molecules with functional group COOH.
Bases like ammonia are not considered as organic compounds.

Elias is almost correct. he just got it backwards.the correct answer is that it demonstrates elastic potential energy transforming into kinetic energy.