Combustion of Alcohols

Question 1

Alcohols react with oxygen in the air when ignited and undergo complete combustion to

Answer 1

form carbon dioxide and water
alcohol + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water

Question 2

Lower alcohols burn with an almost ,………… and make …………….

Answer 2

invisible flame

good fuels

Question 3

Ethanol can be produced sustainably as a fuel by the fermentation of sugars
However, the energy density (the amount of energy in kJ per kg of fuel) is lower than gasoline so cars that run on ethanol must either have a

Answer 3

larger fuel tank or fill up more often

Question 4

Blending ethanol with gasoline or diesel increases the energy density and makes it safer in case of fires as it is easier to see the flames compared to

Answer 4

pure ethanol burning

Question 5

However, the are socio-economic concerns about using large quantities of farm land to produce crops for fermentation, which could be better used for

Answer 5

food production

Question 6

Exam Tip
Be careful when balancing equations for the combustion of alcohols, as students often forget to count the oxygen in the alcohol.

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