Alcohols

Question 1

what is the general formula of an alcohol?

Answer 1

CnH2n+1OH

Question 2

what is the alcohol functional group?

Answer 2

-OH

Question 3

what happens when something is oxidised?

Answer 3

it gains oxygen

Question 4

what do alcohols turn into when they are oxidised?

Answer 4

carboxylic acids

Question 5

what is the oxidising agent to oxidise alcohols into carboxylic acids?

Answer 5

potassium dichromate(VI) in sulfuric acid

Question 6

what happens when ethanol is heated with acidified potassium dichromate(VI)?

Answer 6

ethanol –heat–> ethanoic acid

Question 7

what is the colour change during the oxidisation of alcohols?

Answer 7

potassium dichromate(VI) turns from orange to green as it oxidised the alcohol

Question 8

how are carboxylic acids formed from alcohols by microbial oxidation?

Answer 8

• some microorganisms are able to use alcohols as an energy source - to do this they use oxygen in the air to oxidise alcohols
• carboxylic acids are made as a by produce
• the oxidation of ethanol produces ethanoic acid

Question 9

what happens when alcohols are burnt in enough oxygen?

Answer 9

• they undergo complete combustion
• the products of this reaction are water and carbon dioxide
• the alcohol is oxidised in this reaction