Question

Read each description given below and say whether it fits for ethanol or ethanoic acid.
i) It is a clear liquid with a burning taste.
ii) It is used to preserve biological specimens in laboratories.
iii) It is used to preserve food and fruit juices.
iv) On cooling, it is frozen to form ice flakes which look like a glacier.

Answer 1

$\left(i\right)$ Ethanol is a clear liquid with a burning taste. Acetic acid or Ethanoic acid is a weak acid.

$\left(ii\right)$ Ethanol is used to preserve Biological specimens in laboratories.

Other then formalin, Alcohols, Ethers(Ethanol, Propanol) are commonly used in preserving biological specimens.

$\left(iii\right)$ Usually Benzoates of $Na$ are used as preservators as the functional group similarity salts of Acetic acids may be used as preservatives in same.

$\left(iv\right)$ On cooling, pure ethanoic acid freezes to form flakes like ice. Since it forms ice like crystals that's why it is called or glacial acetic acid. It temperature is ${16.7}^{o}C$