Memory Aid: OH = Alcohol, -anol Ending
Part of Alcohols · GCSE GCSE Chemistry revision
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.
Topic position
Section 10 of 13
Practice
22 questions
Recall
15 flashcards
🧠 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.
Keep building this topic
Read this section alongside the surrounding pages in Alcohols. That gives you the full topic sequence instead of a single isolated revision point.
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.
Quick Recall Flashcards
22 questions on Alcohols — practise free
Instant marking, adaptive difficulty, and 15 spaced repetition flashcards. Free until your GCSEs.
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