Alcohols — KCSE Chemistry

KCSE Chemistry · 67 practice questions · 4 syllabus objectives

21 easy23 medium23 hard

What You'll Learn

Key learning outcomes for this topic, aligned to the KNEC KCSE syllabus.

Name and write structural formulae of alcohols and describe methods of preparation (fermentation, hydration of alkenes)

Describe the reactions of alcohols: combustion, oxidation to aldehydes/carboxylic acids, and esterification

Compare the physical properties of alcohols with corresponding alkanes and explain differences in terms of hydrogen bonding

Alcohols

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easySHORT ANSWER2 marks

State the products formed when butanol is completely oxidised in the presence of an oxidising agent. (2 marks)

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Part (a) — 2 marks

Butanoic acid (1 mk)

Water (1 mk)

easySHORT ANSWER4 marks

Name two methods used in the industrial preparation of ethanol and describe the chemical process involved in each method. (4 marks)

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Part (a) — 2 marks

Fermentation of sugars (1 mk)

Hydration of ethene (1 mk)

Part (b) — 2 marks

Fermentation: Glucose (C₆H₁₂O₆) is converted to ethanol (C₂H₅OH) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) by yeast (1 mk)

Hydration: Ethene (C₂H₄) reacts with steam (H₂O) in the presence of a catalyst (e.g., phosphoric acid) to form ethanol (C₂H₅OH) (1 mk)

easySHORT ANSWER3 marks

Identify three industrial uses of methanol. (3 marks)

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Part (a) — 3 marks

As a solvent in the production of formaldehyde (1 mk)

As a fuel in fuel cells and as a gasoline additive (1 mk)

In the manufacture of plastics and synthetic fibres (1 mk)

Identify two physical properties in which alcohols differ from alkanes and explain how hydrogen bonding accounts for these differences. (3 marks)