Question

Place each of the following pairs of molecules into the box that best describes their relationship:

(a) Ethanol and methanol
(b) Propane and ethane
(c) 2-butanol and 2-methyl-2-propanol
(a) Isomers
(b) Homologs
(c) Constitutional isomers
(d) Stereoisomers

Answer 1

Ethanol and methanol are isomers, propane and ethane are homologs, and 2-butanol and 2-methyl-2-propanol are constitutional isomers.

Step-by-step explanation:

The pairs of molecules can be classified as follows:

a) Ethanol and methanol: These two molecules are isomers because they have the same molecular formula (C2H6O) but different structural arrangements.

b) Propane and ethane: These two molecules are called homologs because they belong to the same homologous series, which means they have similar chemical properties and a gradual increase in molecular size and complexity with each additional carbon atom.

c) 2-butanol and 2-methyl-2-propanol: These two molecules are constitutional isomers because they have the same molecular formula (C4H10O) but different connectivity of atoms.

d) There are no stereoisomers in the given pairs of molecules.