Which test is useful to distinguish ethanol and ethanoic acid?
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: Sodium carbonate test
The sodium carbonate test distinguishes these substances because ethanoic acid reacts with sodium carbonate and releases carbon dioxide, producing visible effervescence. Ethanol does not normally give this carbonate reaction under the same conditions. The gas can be confirmed by passing it through limewater, which turns milky. Therefore option A is correct; bromine water is not the standard distinction here, and magnet or bulb tests are inappropriate.
Frequently asked questions
What is the correct answer to this question?
Sodium carbonate test
Why is this the correct answer?
The sodium carbonate test distinguishes these substances because ethanoic acid reacts with sodium carbonate and releases carbon dioxide, producing visible effervescence. Ethanol does not normally give this carbonate reaction under the same conditions. The gas can be confirmed by passing it through limewater, which turns milky. Therefore option A is correct; bromine water is not the standard distinction here, and magnet or bulb tests are inappropriate.
Which subject and chapter does this question cover?
This is a Class 10 Science question. Chapter: Chemical Substances – Nature and Behaviour. Topic: Carbon and its Compounds.
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