Alcohols

What is Alcohols?

Within Chemistry, which covers atoms, bonding, reactions, the periodic table, organic chemistry and the chemistry of everyday life, this topic explains Alcohols. Chemistry links what you can see in the lab to the particles and bonds behind it, so each topic here shows that link in a model.

Check that you can explain Alcohols in your own words and give one example from everyday life. If you can do that, you have understood the core idea.

Understanding Alcohols helps you explain why substances behave as they do, from cleaning products and food to medicines.

Alcohols in detail

Alcohols contain the –OH functional group and the general formula CₙH₂ₙ₊₁OH, such as methanol, ethanol and propanol. They are named with the ending -ol. They dissolve in water to form neutral solutions and burn with a clean flame.

Ethanol is made by fermentation of sugars using yeast, or by hydration of ethene with steam. It is used as a fuel, solvent and in drinks. Alcohols can be oxidised to carboxylic acids, for example by acidified potassium dichromate or by microbial action, which makes wine turn to vinegar.

How the interactive helps you understand Alcohols

Click a card to flip it and reveal the answer, then move on to the next one.

Before you change anything, predict the result. Then change one value at a time and check whether your prediction was right. This is a quick way to build a correct mental model of Alcohols.

Real-life uses and examples

• Link Alcohols to everyday products such as cleaning agents, food and medicines.
• Read a chemical equation or diagram and work out what Alcohols shows.
• Explain Alcohols in an exam by linking the particles involved to what you observe.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Mixing up the names of substances or ions when you describe Alcohols.
• Describing what happens without explaining the particles or bonds involved.
• Learning the definition without testing it. Use the quiz and the interactive to check that you can apply the idea.