Introduction
When plants decompose under the right conditions, they go through a chemical reaction called fermentation. One of the main products of this process is ethanol (C2H5OH, shown at left), which is an organic chemical that can be used as fuel, either by burning it like gasoline or through reduction/oxidation reaction in a fuel cell.
Ethanol is a natural product of yeast, the tiny cells that make bread rise and produce the alcohol in alcoholic beverages. Actually, what we call alcohol in all alcoholic beverages is just ethanol called by a more familiar name, in the same way that we usually just call sodium chloride “salt.” And just like there are other chemicals called salts (like calcium carbonate or magnesium sulfate), there are other chemicals called alcohols, which all have an OH group in their structure and a name that ends in “-ol” just like ethanol.
Task
Watch the video about the production of ethanol and answer the questions!
Process
Answer the questions!
1. What is ethanol?
2. Molecular formula of ethanol?
3. The most popular method of producing ethanol is?
4. Is ethanol a renewable resource?
5. What of ethanol is made?
Evaluation
The answers!
1. Ethanol is a 2-carbon alcohol.
2. C2H5OH
3. Fermenatation of sugars or petrochemical processes.
4. Yes, ethanol is a renewable resource.
5. Plants.
Conclusion
Thank you!
We hope that our material about ethanol production made your knowledge better!
Credits
Video source: www.youtube.com "production of ethanol - animated".