Alcohols

Question 1

What are alcohols and how do they differ from alkanes?

Answer 1

• Alcohols are homologous series compounds
  -Alcohols are similar to alkanes but they have the -OH functional group sintead of one of the hydrogens

Question 2

What is the functional group of an alocohol?

Answer 2

• OH

Question 3

What is the general formula for an alcohol?

Answer 3

• CnH2n+1OH

Question 4

What are the chemical properties for the first 4 alcohols?

Answer 4

• The first 4 alcohols have similair chemical properties
• Flammable: can undergo complete sombustion to release lots of energy
• Soluble in water: can dissolve in water to make a solution with a neutral pH
• Can be oxidised: can be oxodised to form a carboxylic acid with the functional group -COOH

Question 5

What are the uses of alcohol in industry?

Answer 5

• Burnt to release lots of energy: used for fuels
• Often used instead of water as they can dissolve things that water can’t: used as solvents in industry

Question 6

Alcohol + oxygen

Answer 6

= carbon dioxide + water (+ energy)