Question 8 - Past Year - 2 Mark Questions - Chapter 4 Class 10 - Carbon and its Compounds

Last updated at August 14, 2026 by

List two chemical properties on the basis of which ethanol and ethanoic acid may be differentiated and explain how.

 

Answer

Reaction with NaOH

  • Ethanoic acid being a carboxylic acid , reacts with NaOH ( base) to form sodium salt of ethanoic acid and water

Reaction of Ethanoic acid with Sodium hydroxide - Teachoo.png

  • Ethanol is an alcohol and it does not react with NaOH .

Reaction with sodium carbonate/sodium bicarbonate

  • Ethanoic acid also reacts with sodium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate to give sodium salt of carboxylic acid, water and CO 2 . 

 

Reaction of Ethanoic acid with Sodium carbonate - Teachoo.png

Reaction of Sodium hydrogen carbonate with Ethanoic acid - Teachoo.png

  • On the other hand, ethanol doesn't react with sodium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate.
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Transcript

List two chemical properties on the basis of which ethanol and ethanoic acid may be differentiated and explain how. Answer Reaction with NaOH Ethanoic acid being a carboxylic acid, reacts with NaOH (base) to form sodium salt of ethanoic acid and water Ethanol is an alcohol and it does not react with NaOH. Reaction with sodium carbonate/sodium bicarbonate Ethanoic acid also reacts with sodium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate to give sodium salt of carboxylic acid, water and CO2. On the other hand, ethanol doesn't react with sodium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate.

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