3.3.5 Alcohols

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Total cards: 24•Content version: v4•Public deck•Updated: 8/1/2026

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Front (Question)

Alcohols have _____ melting and boiling points than alkanes of similar relative molecular mass

Back (Answer)

higher

Front (Question)

Why do alcohols have higher melting and boiling points than alkanes?

Back (Answer)

∵ -OH group in alcohol means hydrogen bonding occurs between molecules

Front (Question)

-OH group of alcohols can…

Back (Answer)

hydrogen bond to water molecules

Front (Question)

….cannot bond to water molecules

Back (Answer)

Non-polar hydrocarbon chain

Front (Question)

Why are alcohols with short hydrocarbon chains are soluble in water?

Back (Answer)

∵ of hydrogen bonding predominates

Front (Question)

Why are alcohols with longer hydrocarbon chains are insoluble in water?

Back (Answer)

Non-polar hydrocarbon chain dominates

Front (Question)

What is the benefit of making alkenes from a dehydration reaction?

Back (Answer)

Allows you to make alkenes from renewable resources i.e. without crude oil

Front (Question)

Elimination Reaction Name the condition and product when an alcohol is used as a reactant

Back (Answer)

Product: Alkene • Al2O3 Catalyst • 450 K • Concentrated, hot H2SO4

Front (Question)

Ethanol + H2SO4 Name the mechanism

Back (Answer)

Elimination

#10

Front (Question)

Ethanol + H2SO4 Mechanism

Back (Answer)

H2SO4 - acts as a catalyst

#11

Front (Question)

How does distillation work?

Back (Answer)

Uses the fact that chemicals have different boiling points & separates them out to get a single purified substance

#12

Front (Question)

Name 2 ways ethanol can be produced

Back (Answer)

• Hydration • Fermenation

#13

Front (Question)

Describe hydration (4)

Back (Answer)

• Hydration of ethene using steam to produce ethanol • Acid catalyst • High temperature + high pressure • H2O added across double bond

#14

Front (Question)

Hydration Name 3 conditions for producing ethanol

Back (Answer)

• 300°C • Pressure of 60 atm • Solid phosphoric(V) acid catalyst • H3PO4

#15

Front (Question)

Describe fermenation

Back (Answer)

• Fermentation (exothermic reaction) is carried out by yeast in anaerobic respiration • Yeast produces an enzyme that converts sugars into ethanol and carbon dioxide • Ethanol formed is separated by fractional distillation

#16

Front (Question)

What is an advantage of using fermentation to make alcohol?

Back (Answer)

Low tech process (uses cheap equipment & renewable resources)

#17

Front (Question)

What is a disadvantage of using fermentation to make alcohol?

Back (Answer)

Fractional distillation is needed for purification = expensive & time consuming

#18

Front (Question)

State the equation for the hydration of ethene (include state symbols)

Back (Answer)

C2H4(g) + H2O(g) ⇌ C2H5OH(g)

#19

Front (Question)

State the equation for fermentation (include state symbols)

Back (Answer)

#20

Front (Question)

Name 2 ways alcohols can be oxidised

Back (Answer)

• Burn them • Use oxidising agent acidified potassium dichromate(VI), K2Cr2O7 to mildly oxidise them

#21

Front (Question)

Define Oxidation

Back (Answer)

• Loss of electrons • Gain of oxygen • (Loss of hydrogen)

#22

Front (Question)

Define Reduction

Back (Answer)

• Gain of electrons • Loss of oxygen • (Gain of hydrogen)

#23

Front (Question)

Define oxidising agent

Back (Answer)

Chemical that accepts electrons and gets reduced (supplies the oxygen or removes the hydrogen)

#24

Front (Question)

Define reducing agent

Back (Answer)

Chemical that donates electrons and gets oxidised (removes the oxygen or supplies the hydrogen)