Ethanol is soluble in water due to its ability to form hydrogen bonds with water molecules. Ethanol contains a hydroxyl (-OH) group that can participate in hydrogen bonding with water molecules, allowing it to dissolve in water. In contrast, propane is a nonpolar molecule with only weak van der Waals forces between its molecules, which are not strong enough to overcome the strong hydrogen bonding in water, making it insoluble in water.
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Ethanol is soluble in water because it can form hydrogen bonds with water molecules due to the presence of a hydroxyl group (-OH). This interaction allows ethanol to mix and dissolve in water. Propane, on the other hand, is not soluble in water because it is a nonpolar molecule and cannot form significant hydrogen bonds with water molecules.
In general terms, because (1) the carbon-oxygen and hydrogen-oxygen bonds in ethanol are much more polar than any of the bonds in propane; (2) the oxygen atom in ethanol can form hydrogen bonds with the hydrogen atoms in water, but there is not such possibility with propane; and (3) propane contains more carbon atoms per molecule than ethanol.
The word equation for burning ethanol is: ethanol + oxygen -> carbon dioxide + water.
Ethanol burns differently than a mix of ethanol and water because water has a higher boiling point compared to ethanol. Water will absorb heat during combustion, which can lower the overall temperature and affect the efficiency of the burning process. This can lead to a slower and less complete combustion compared to pure ethanol.
Yes, steam distillation of ethanol can be done using a mixture of ethanol and water. The mixture will allow for separation of the ethanol from the water by taking advantage of the difference in boiling points between the two compounds.
Water is a better conductor than ethanol because it contains ions that can move freely and carry electrical charges, while ethanol does not dissociate into ions as readily. This means that water can facilitate the flow of electricity more easily than ethanol.
Adding water to ethanol lowers its boiling point. This is because water forms an azeotrope with ethanol, which alters the vapor pressure of the mixture, resulting in a lower boiling point compared to pure ethanol.