What is the difference between Ethanol and Methanol? - ProProfs Discuss
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What is the difference between Ethanol and Methanol?

Asked by T. Lopez, Last updated: Feb 17, 2024

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4 Answers

B. Denton

B. Denton

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B. Denton
B. Denton, Traveler, journalism, Greater Manchester

Answered Oct 15, 2020

Ethanol is a colorless liquid that is extremely unstable. It possesses a strong, burning odor, and it will burn like a bright blue flame. Methanol, on the other hand, is a colorless liquid that is also quite unstable. Its odor is a recognizable characteristic of the substance, and it burns like a bright white flame. Ethanol is a significant ingredient in both fermented and distilled alcoholic beverages.

If you ingest ethanol, you will feel intoxicated. You will feel ill and may develop alcohol poisoning upon ingesting a large dose. Methanol should never, under any circumstances, be ingested, inhaled, or meet your skin. Even a slight amount can cause blindness, and it only takes about four ounces for the outcome to be fatal. Ethanol is used to create the powerful effect of alcoholic beverages.

It may also be used as a different and unique fuel source and is created from sugarcane or corn. Methanol is primarily used to generate other chemicals, such as formaldehyde. It is used in race and stunt cars because it is less flammable than gasoline and can be eradicated with water. Small measures are used to make denatured alcohol, and it can also be found as a solvent.

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I. Muller

I. Muller

I. Muller
I. Muller, Math Professor, North Carolina

Answered Oct 07, 2020

Ethanol is also known as ethyl alcohol. Methanol is also known as methyl alcohol. The main difference between the two is the type of chemical structure that they are following. Ethyl alcohol will come with two carbon atoms while methyl alcohol will only come with one carbon atom.

Take note that ethanol is something that you would use in alcohol and spirits which is why you can drink ethanol. Methanol, on the other hand, can be bad for the body because it contains dehydrogenase. If in case you are not familiar with this, this is something that you can use for formaldehyde which is used to slow down the decomposition of dead bodies.

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C. Marcus

C. Marcus

C. Marcus
C. Marcus, Content Developer, Washington

Answered Sep 16, 2020

Ethanol and methanol look similar and also sound the same, but they are both two different substances. Methanol and ethanol are colorless, volatile liquid.

Ethanol has a very strong burning odor and also burns as a bright blue flame. It is used as the main ingredient in making fermented and alcoholic beverages. They indicate the intoxicating effect that occurs after consuming alcoholic beverages. Ethanol is created from sugar cane or corn. They can easily combine with other substances to make a homogenous solution.

Methanol has a distinctive odor and burns a bright white flame; methanol should not inhale, ingested, or come in contact with the skin. It is used to create other chemicals like formaldehyde. Methanol is soluble in water, meaning it will breakdown in water.

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F. Ray

F. Ray

F. Ray
F. Ray, Student, Kansas City

Answered May 06, 2020

Methanol and ethanol are the first two members of the aliphatic organic compound with hydroxyl (-OH) as the functional group of the homologous series. Both substances are very similar in some ways, especially when you consider the fact that both are colorless liquids. However, there are some differences between the two. First, methanol is an inflammable liquid with a bright white flame when it burns.

In contrast, ethanol is also an inflammable liquid but has a bright blue flame when it burns. Methanol is a toxic liquid that should never be inhaled or taken because it can cause serious health conditions. In contrast, ethanol is not as poisonous as methanol since it is one of the major ingredients in the preparation of alcoholic beverages.

However, ingestion of ethanol, especially in a large quantity, can lead to serious intoxication. The chemical formula for methanol is CH3OH, while the chemical formula for ethanol is C2H5OH.

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