alcohols+carboxylic acid

• what can alcohols be dehydrated to form?

  alkenes
• why do all members of a homologous series react in a similar way?

  their molecules contain the same functional group.
• what is the general formula for the homologous series of alcohols?

  CnH2n+1OH
• what is the functional group of alcohols?

  Hydroxyl group (-OH)
• what are the 4 smallest alcohols?

  • methanol
  • ethanol
  • propanol
  • butanol
• what is the formula for methanol?

  CH3OH
• what is the formula for ethanol?

  CH3CH2OH
• what is the formula for propanol?

  CH3CH2CH2OH
• what is the formula for butanol?

  CH3CH2CH2CH2OH
• what do alcohols release when they combust?

  energy
• how can you measure the amount of energy released during alcohol combustion?

  by measuring the temperature change in water.
• what are the steps for measuring how much energy is released during alcohol combustion?

  1. the mass of the alcohol and the burner is measured before and after combusting the fuel.
  2. the temperature of the water can be measured before and after to find the temperature change.
  3. if we divide the temperature change by the mass of fuel used, we can compare to the mass needed to heat the water up by 1 degree C.
• what practical considerations do you have to make when measuring how much energy is released during alcohol combustion?

  heat energy is lost to the surroundings, so we use draft insulators to minimise heat loss. Heat energy is used to heat the glass instead of the water so some water can evaporate.
• what happens when alcohols are added to water?

  they dissolve to give neutral solutions.
• what is produced when alcohols react with a strong oxidising agent?

  a carboxylic acid
• what is produced when alcohols and sodium react together?


  hydrogen
• what is produced when alcohols react with air (and heat)?

  carbon dioxide and water
• when does the complete combustion of methanol occur and what are its products?

  when it is burned with sufficient oxygen and the products are carbon dioxide and water.
• When measuring energy released by the combustion of alcohols, what can we use to minimise heat loss?

  draft insulators
• during the alcohol combustion experiment, what is heated?

  the glass conical flask and water
• what is the functional group of carboxylic acids?

  Carboxyl group (-COOH)
• how do carboxylic acids ionise in water?

  partially meaning they are weak acids.
• what type of acids are carboxylic acids?

  weak
• what is the general formula for carboxylic acids?

  CnH2n+1COOH
• what are the 4 smallest carboxylic acids?

  • methanoic acid
  • ethanoic acid
  • propanoic acid
  • butanoic acid
• what is the formula for methanoic acid?

  HCOOH
• what is the formula for ethanoic acid?

  CH3COOH
• what is the formula for propanoic acid?

  CH3CH2COOH
• what is the formula for butanoic acid?

  CH3CH2CH2COOH
• what happens when carboxylic acids react with water?

  they dissolve to give solutions with an acidic PH.
• what is produced when carboxylic acids react with carbonates?

  • a salt
  • carbon dioxide
  • water
• what is produced when carboxylic acids react with alcohols (using an acid catalyst)?


  an ester and water
• what catalyst is used when reacting carboxylic acids and alcohols to form an ester and water?

  an acid catalyst.
• what is formed when ethanol reacts with oxygen in the air?

  ethanoic acid
• what is produced when methanol is oxidised?

  methanoic acid
• what is produced when propanol is oxidised?

  propanoic acid
• what is produced when butanol is oxidised?

  butanoic acid
• other than reacting directly with oxygen, what else can be used to produce ethanoic acid?


  an oxidising agent (eg potassium dichromate(VI))
• what does the process of fermentation involve?

  adding yeast to a sugar solution
• what is produced from fermentation?

  • an aqueous solution of ethanol
  • carbon dioxide