Knowee
Questions
Features
Study Tools

Why is the conversion of ethanol to ethanoic acid an oxidation reaction?

Question

Why is the conversion of ethanol to ethanoic acid an oxidation reaction?

🧐 Not the exact question you are looking for?Go ask a question

Solution

The conversion of ethanol to ethanoic acid is considered an oxidation reaction due to the gain of oxygen or the loss of hydrogen.

Here are the steps to understand this:

  1. Ethanol has the chemical formula C2H5OH. In this molecule, the carbon atom is bonded to a hydrogen atom and an OH group.

  2. When ethanol is converted to ethanoic acid (CH3COOH), the hydrogen in the OH group of ethanol is replaced by an oxygen atom. This results in the formation of a new COOH group.

  3. This process involves the addition of an oxygen atom, which is equivalent to the gain of oxygen. In chemical terms, the gain of oxygen is defined as oxidation.

  4. Alternatively, you can also look at this reaction in terms of hydrogen. The conversion of ethanol to ethanoic acid involves the loss of hydrogen. In chemical terms, the loss of hydrogen is also defined as oxidation.

  5. Therefore, whether you look at it in terms of the gain of oxygen or the loss of hydrogen, the conversion of ethanol to ethanoic acid is an oxidation reaction.

This problem has been solved

Similar Questions

What’s the equation for the oxidation of ethanol?

True or false? Ethanol can be oxidised to ethanoic acid by microbial action.FALSETRUE

What is an oxidation reaction?

Ethanol burns to release energy. Which reaction shows this reactio

hen ethanol reacts with acetic acid in presence of H2SO4, the product formed is an ester. Here the ethanol works as a/an ______.electron rich specieselectron deficient specieselectrophilelewis acid

1/2

Upgrade your grade with Knowee

Get personalized homework help. Review tough concepts in more detail, or go deeper into your topic by exploring other relevant questions.