Question

(a) How would you test for an alcohol?
(b) Give the harmful effects of drinking alcohol.
(c) Explain why, methanol is much more dangerous to drink than ethanol.

Answer 1

(a) Alcohols are slightly acidic in nature and can be detected by their reaction with sodium. When sodium is added to alcohol, sodium alkoxide is formed along with the release of hydrogen gas that burns with a pop sound. This confirms that the compound is an alcohol. Alcohols do not change the colour of the litmus paper.

(b) Following are the harmful effects of drinking alcohol:

(i) Alcohol has a severe impact on our nervous system and brain. The reflex to judging any situation slows down and a person fails to react quickly. Therefore, chances of accidents increases when a person is driving a vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

(ii) The consumption of alcohol brings about a drastic decline in the mental restrain, and this makes a drunken man quarrelsome. Due to this, violence and crimes have increased in the society.

(iii) Excess consumption of alcohol over the time can damage stomach, liver, heart and brain. Cirrhosis, which is a liver disease, can even cause death.

(c) Methanol is a poison when taken internally. Though both methanol and ethanol are metabolised by the liver, the rate of metabolism differs. Methanol gets oxidised to methanal in the liver, which rapidly reacts with the cell components and causes coagulation of protoplasm. As a result, the cells stop functioning causing death of the person who consumes methanol.