Reactions

• What should you be able to describe by the end of the video on alcohols?

  The solubility of alcohols in water, their reaction with sodium, their reaction with oxidizing agents, and how to balance combustion equations.
• What is the solubility behavior of alcohols in water as the number of carbon atoms increases?

  • Alcohols are soluble in water.
  • As the number of carbon atoms increases, the solubility decreases.
• What is produced when ethanol reacts with sodium?

  Bubbles of hydrogen gas and sodium ethoxide.
• What is a good example of an oxidizing agent used in reactions with alcohols?

  Acidified potassium dichromate.
• What do alcohols produce when they react with oxidizing agents?

  A carboxylic acid and water.
• What carboxylic acid is produced when ethanol reacts with an oxidizing agent?

  Ethanoic acid.
• What are the products of the combustion of alcohols?

  • Carbon dioxide
  • Water
• What happens to the equation when alcohols are combusted in air?

  The equation must be balanced to reflect the conservation of mass.
• How do you balance the carbon atoms in the combustion of ethanol?

  By ensuring there are two carbon dioxide molecules on the right-hand side for the two carbon atoms in ethanol.
• How do you balance the hydrogen atoms in the combustion of ethanol?

  By adding three water molecules on the right-hand side to match the six hydrogen atoms in ethanol.
• How do you balance the oxygen atoms in the combustion of ethanol?

  By ensuring there are three oxygen molecules on the left-hand side to match the total of seven oxygen atoms on the right-hand side.
• How do you balance the combustion equation for butanol?

  1. Count carbon atoms: 4 carbon atoms → 4 carbon dioxide molecules.
  2. Count hydrogen atoms: 10 hydrogen atoms → 5 water molecules.
  3. Count oxygen atoms: 13 total oxygen atoms needed → 1 from butanol, so 6 oxygen molecules required.
• What is the total number of oxygen atoms needed on the left-hand side for the combustion of butanol?

  13 oxygen atoms.
• Where can students find additional questions on the reactions of alcohols?

  In the vision workbook linked in the video.