AQA · Chemistry · 8462
GCSE Chemistry (AQA): Alcohols
Topic 7 — Organic Chemistry. Generated from the caption track of Cognito's lesson video "GCSE Chemistry - Alcohols"; each card deep-links to the moment in the video it came from. Lesson 7.11 of Cognito's AQA GCSE Chemistry (Triple) course (Higher tier), filed under AQA Chemistry 8462. Teaching by Cognito — https://cognitoedu.org/coursesubtopic/c2-gcse-aqa-h-t_7.11.
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Which functional group defines an alcohol?
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The -OH (hydroxyl) group, which replaces one of the hydrogens of the corresponding alkane.
Write the balanced equation for the complete combustion of ethanol.
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C2H5OH + 3O2 → 2CO2 + 3H2O.
Which functional group is present in a carboxylic acid?
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-COOH.
What are the products of the complete combustion of an alcohol in air?
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Carbon dioxide and water.
Why are alcohols used as solvents in industry instead of water?
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They can dissolve substances water cannot, such as hydrocarbons, fats and oils.
Why do the properties of alcohols change along the homologous series?
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Because the molecules get bigger as chain length increases; the first four are still similar to one another.
How are alcohol names formed from the corresponding alkane names?
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The final 'e' is replaced with 'ol' — e.g. ethane becomes ethanol.
What is the general formula for the alcohols?
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CnH2n+1OH — the OH is always written at the end.
Oxidising an alcohol such as ethanol produces a ?.
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carboxylic acid
Which property of alcohols makes them useful as fuels?
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They are flammable — they undergo combustion and release a lot of energy, e.g. ethanol in a spirit burner.
What is the pH of an aqueous solution of the first four alcohols?
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Neutral (pH 7) — alcohols are neither acidic nor alkaline.
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