Name: ____________________________ ( ) Chapter 17: Alcohol

Class: _________________

alcohol homologous series

• contain the _________functional group of atoms
• names end with _______
• Non-hydrocarbons

1) General Formula:
Examples:
Methane: ___________
Ethane: ____________
Propane: _________
Butane: C4H9OH

2) Each member of the series differs from the next by an extra _________
group of atoms (difference of Mr = ____)
3) Gradual change in physical properties; boiling points _____________ as the
number of carbon atoms in a molecule ____________.

No. of Carbon Relative Boiling

Atoms in One Alcohol Member Molecular Structure of One Molecule Point
Molecule Mass (°C)

methanol
1 32 64

2 46 78

3 60 97

4 74 117

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Name: ____________________________ ( ) Chapter 17: Alcohol
Class: _________________
Preparation of ethanol

Ethanol can be made in two ways:

 by reacting ethene with steam over a catalyst

 by fermentation of sugars and starch with yeast

4) reactions of alcohols:
a) combustion
 alcohols burn in air to form carbon dioxide and water

ethanol + oxygen  _____________ + ___________

Chemical equation:

b) oxidation

• ethanol can also be ______________ by bacteria in air to __________ acid

• example: _________ or wine left ____________ to the air for some days turned
__________; ethanol _____________ to ethanoic acid

ethanol + oxygen  _________________ + water

Chemical Equation:

Uses of Alcohol

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Name: ____________________________ ( ) Chapter 17: Alcohol
Class: _________________

Amazing Facts of alcohol:

Methanol is poisonous and drinking it
can lead to blindness and even death.
Think about this:
1. Ethanol is commonly used as a solvent for perfumes. What physical
property makes it ideal for such a use?

_____________________________________________________________

2. Why must a test tube of ethanol not to be heated directly over a flame.
____________________________________________________________________________

3. Brazil is one of the world’s sugarcane growers. The sugarcane is crushed and fermented and
the resulting liquor is distilled to make alcohol. What do you think the alcohol is used for?
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
4. If a bottle of wine is left to air, it turns sour after a few days. Why is this so? What is
formed and what reaction has taken place?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

5. The man has to take a brethalyser test to find out the amount of alcohol in his breath. He
breathes through a tube into a gel containing potassium dichromate. How do you think this
devise help the police know that he has drank alcohol?
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

6. Fermentation is a chemical process in which the enzymes in yeast acts on sugar or starches
to produce ethanol and carbon dioxide. What do you think is the use of the enzymes in this
reaction?
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Name: ____________________________ ( ) Chapter 17: Alcohol
Class: _________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

7. A student wants to speed up the fermentation process by heating the flask containing glucose
and yeast. Do you think it is a good idea?
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

Your Challenge!!

1. Draw the full structural formula for ethane, ethane and ethanol. Explain how these
organic compounds are different structurally.

Explanation:
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

2. Ethanol burns cleanly in air.

(a) Explain this statement. _______________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

(b) Write a balanced equation for the combustion of ethanol.

____________________________________________________________________________

(c) How can this combustion be put to good use? ____________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

3. Ethanol can be manufactured by fermentation.

(a) Name the starting materials. __________________________________________________

(b) Write an equation for the fermentation process.

____________________________________________________________________________

(c) How would you obtain almost pure ethanol from the mixture of products in fermentation?
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
A B

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 Name: ____________________________ ( ) Chapter 17: Alcohol
Class: _________________
4. C2H4 C2H5OH CH3COOH

(a) Draw the structural formulae of CH3COOH

(b) What is the name given to the type of conversion in A and B?

A: ____________________________ B: _____________________________

(c) State the condition and reagent for each conversion.

____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________