Question

How can ethanol and ethanoic acid be differentiated on the basis of their physical and chemical properties?

Answer 1

• Ethanol is a liquid at room temperature with a pleasant odour while ethanoic acid has
vinegar-like smell. The melting point of ethanoic acid is 17°C. This is below room temperature
and hence, it freezes during winters.
• Ethanoic acid reacts with metal carbonates and metal hydrogencarbonates to form salt,
water, and carbon dioxide gas while ethanol does not react with them.
Metal Carbonates/Metal Hydrogencarbonates+Carboxylic acid
$\downarrow$
Salt+water+carbondioxide
For example,
2CH3COOH+Na2CO3$\rightarrow$2CH3COONa+H2O+CO2
Metal Carbonates/Metal Hydrogencarbonates + Alcohols
$\downarrow$
No reaction
For example,
CH3CH2OH+Na2CO3$\rightarrow$No reaction