This topic summary covers Topic Summary: Alcohols within Alcohols for GCSE Chemistry. Revise Alcohols in Organic Chemistry for GCSE Chemistry with 20 exam-style questions and 15 flashcards. This topic appears less often, but it can still be a useful differentiator on mixed-topic papers. It is section 13 of 13 in this topic. Use this topic summary to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
Topic position
Section 13 of 13
Practice
20 questions
Recall
15 flashcards
Topic Summary: Alcohols
Key Terms
- Functional group — -OH (hydroxyl)
- General formula — CₙH₂ₙ₊₁OH
- Fermentation — glucose → ethanol + CO₂
- Hydration — ethene + steam → ethanol
First Four Alcohols
- Methanol — CH₃OH (toxic!)
- Ethanol — C₂H₅OH (drinks)
- Propanol — C₃H₇OH (sanitiser)
- Butanol — C₄H₉OH (industrial)
Fermentation vs Hydration
- Fermentation: renewable, slow, low purity, anaerobic
- Hydration: non-renewable, fast, high purity, 300°C/70atm
Exam Checklist
- Fermentation: don't forget CO₂ product
- Functional group: -OH with dash
- Methanol = TOXIC (not drinkable)
- Fermentation = anaerobic (no oxygen)