Question

(i) Why is pure acetic acid known as glacial acetic acid?

(ii) what type of compound is formed by the reaction between acetic acid and an alcohol?

Answer 1

(I) Reason for pure acetic acid known as glacial acetic acid:

Acetic acid on reaching its melting point forms an ice-like crystal, that appears to be a glacier. That's why pure acetic acid is also known as glacial acetic acid.

(ii) When Acetic acid reacts with Alcohol, the Ester is formed.

When the Acetic acid (${\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{COOH}$) reacts with Ethanol (${\mathrm{CH}}_3-{\mathrm{CH}}_2-\mathrm{OH}$), then the product formed is Ethyl acetate (${\mathrm{CH}}_3{\mathrm{COOC}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_5$). The reaction is given below:

$\underset{\mathrm{Ethanoic}\mathrm{acid}}{{\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{COOH}\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)}+\underset{\mathrm{Ethanol}}{{\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_5\mathrm{OH}\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)}\stackrel{\mathrm{conc}.{\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4}{\to }\underset{\mathrm{Ethyl}\mathrm{acetate}}{{\mathrm{CH}}_3{\mathrm{COOC}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_5\left(\mathrm{s}\right)}+\underset{\mathrm{Water}}{{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)}$

This reaction is known as ESTERIFICATION REACTION.