Final answer:
The acidity of the alcohols can be compared by considering the stability of the conjugate base formed after deprotonation. Methyl alcohol (CH3OH) is generally the strongest acid among the given alcohols, while the tertiary alcohol ((CH3)3COH) is the least acidic due to the electron-donating effect of the alkyl groups. Secondary alcohol ((CH3)2CHOH) and ethyl alcohol (CH3CH2OH) fall in between, with the former being more acidic than the latter.
Step-by-step explanation:
To compare the acidity of the alcohols (CH3)2CHOH, (CH3)3COH, CH3OH, and CH3CH2OH, we need to look at their molecular structures and the electronic environment around the hydroxyl groups (-OH). A general rule is that the more stable the conjugate base (the anion left when the H+ is removed), the stronger the acid. Methyl alcohol (CH3OH) is the simplest structure, making it less bulky and allowing the conjugate base to stabilize a bit easier than the others, suggesting that it may be a stronger acid than those with more alkyl groups.
Ethyl alcohol (CH3CH2OH) has an additional methyl group compared to methyl alcohol, which gives it slightly less acidic character due to the electron-donating effect of the alkyl group. The tertiary alcohol ((CH3)3COH) would be the least acidic because the electron-donating effect of the three methyl groups around the central carbon which holds the -OH group would decrease the ability to release the H+. The secondary alcohol ((CH3)2CHOH) falls somewhere in between because it has more steric hindrance and electron-donating alkyl groups than methyl alcohol, but not as much as the tertiary alcohol.