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 ${17}^{o}C$. 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.

$N{a}_{2}C{O}_3+C{H}_{3}COOH\to C{H}_{3}COONa+H_{2}O+C{O}_2$

$N{a}_{2}C{O}_3+C{H}_{3}C{H}_{2}OH\to Noreaction$