intheburbs

Sorry to sound pedantic, but alcohol is a solvent, not a solution.

A solution is a mixture of a liquid and a dissolved solid. A solvent, by dissolving something, can become a solution, but by itself alcohol is a compound or solvent.

BTW, gasoline is a pretty good solvent, too. Just sayin'...

Scotiapilot

you guys are both right and considering the solvent then burns and steams away deposits makes for a good cleaner after combustion

73shark

Alcohol is also a mild acid.

intheburbs

No, actually, it's mildly basic. PH of ethanol is 7.33.

SabrToothSqrl

Per Google:


For any solution, the chemical present in the largest amount is the solvent and all the other chemicals present are solutes.

So... both depending on amounts... lol

picky picky!

Apparently PH is an outdated measurement? I can't find it online, it says PKA now? I


http://chemwiki.ucdavis.edu/Organic_...es_of_Alcohols

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol


Acid-base chemistry

Ethanol is a neutral molecule and the pH of a solution of ethanol in water is nearly 7.00. Ethanol can be quantitatively converted to its conjugate base, the ethoxide ion (CH3CH2O−), by reaction with an alkali metal such as sodium:[73]

2 CH3CH2OH + 2 Na → 2 CH3CH2ONa + H2

or a very strong base such as sodium hydride:

CH3CH2OH + NaH → CH3CH2ONa + H2

The acidity of water and ethanol are nearly the same, as indicated by their pKa of 15.7 and 16 respectively. Thus, sodium ethoxide and sodium hydroxide exist in an equilbrium that is closely balanced:

CH3CH2OH + NaOH is in equilibrium with CH3CH2ONa + H2O


I find it refreshing to know that there are others like me

In any-case, I think we all agree that, we don't like ethanol in our fuels.

Does anyone not agree w/that part?

intheburbs

Like I said, I was being pedantic.

My three teenagers are right in the middle of their prime Science Olympiad events. My inner science geek is in overdrive right now.

SabrToothSqrl

And another thing!

Ethanol burns clear!

so... flaming race cars aren't cool...

unless you can see the flames.

Also, I'd never wish any human harm in these, but crashes are cool. (provided we have no human loss, and learn from them.)

This Bizarre Video Explains Why People Tend To Avoid Using Methanol Fuel

tech2

wow....I finally had a use for 3 years of organic chemistry.