This memory aid covers Memory Aid: OH = Alcohol, -anol Ending within Alcohols for GCSE Chemistry. Revise Alcohols in Organic Chemistry for GCSE Chemistry with 22 exam-style questions and 15 flashcards. This topic appears regularly enough that it should still be part of a steady revision cycle. It is section 10 of 13 in this topic. Use it for quick recall, then test yourself straight afterwards so the memory aid becomes usable in an answer.
🧠 Memory Aid: OH = Alcohol, -anol Ending
Two simple rules to remember alcohols:
- Functional group = -OH (hydroxyl) — always at the end of the chain
- Naming = same prefix as alkane + "-anol" ending
First four (same prefixes as alkanes):
MEPB + anol: Meth-anol, Eth-anol, Prop-anol, But-anol
For fermentation vs hydration: Fermentation = renewable, slow, low purity. Hydration = fossil fuel, fast, high purity. Think: the traditional (old) way (fermentation) is slow; the industrial (modern) way (hydration) is fast.
Practice questions for Alcohols
What is the functional group present in all alcohols?
Explain what happens when ethanol reacts with sodium metal. Include a balanced equation in your answer.