Ethyl alcohol is a clear, colorless liquid with a characteristic odor. Its density is approximately 0.8 grams / cubic centimeter. And what is the chemical formula of ethyl alcohol?
Ethyl alcohol ("ethanol" according to the international chemical classification) is widely used in medicine, as a disinfectant, as well as in some industries as a solvent, fuel, and a component of antifreeze agents. In addition, ethanol is the main active ingredient in alcoholic beverages.
Why the structural formula of ethanol is not accurate enough
The formula of any chemical substance should contain information about how many and what atoms are contained in its molecule. Ethyl alcohol consists of three elements: carbon (C), hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O). In addition, each ethanol molecule includes 2 carbon atoms, 6 hydrogen atoms and 1 oxygen atom. Therefore, the empirical (simplest) formula of this chemical compound is written as follows: С2Н6О. It would seem that this is quite enough.
However, using an empirical formula alone can lead to an error. The fact is that the exact same formula C2H6O applies to another substance - dimethyl ether, which under normal conditions is in a gaseous state, and not in a liquid state, like ethanol. And, of course, the chemical properties of this substance also differ from the properties of ethyl alcohol.
Therefore, the empirical formula alone cannot be used to describe ethyl alcohol.
