write the balanced half equation in acid medium when ethanol gets converted into acetic acid and compute eq.wt.of thanol
qb
To write the balanced half equation for the conversion of ethanol to acetic acid in an acid medium, we need to consider the oxidation of ethanol.
The oxidation of ethanol can be represented by the following half equation:
C2H5OH → CH3COOH
Here, two hydrogen atoms are converted to two protons (H+), and two electrons (e−) are produced. To balance the equation, we need to add the appropriate number of H+ and e− on the right side:
C2H5OH → CH3COOH + 2H+ + 2e−
Now, let's calculate the equivalent weight of ethanol:
The equivalent weight of a substance is the molar mass divided by the number of equivalents. In the case of ethanol, it is a one-to-one conversion, so the equivalent weight is equal to its molar mass.
The molar mass of ethanol (C2H5OH) can be calculated as follows:
(2 × Atomic mass of C) + (6 × Atomic mass of H) + Atomic mass of O
= (2 × 12.01 g/mol) + (6 × 1.01 g/mol) + 16.00 g/mol
= 24.02 g/mol + 6.06 g/mol + 16.00 g/mol
= 46.08 g/mol
Therefore, the equivalent weight of ethanol is 46.08 g/mol.