Final answer:
The statement is false; the phenol coefficient compares the effectiveness of a chemical to that of phenol, not alcohol.
Step-by-step explanation:
The phenol coefficient quantitatively compares the effectiveness of a chemical to that of phenol, not alcohol. This is a method established in the early 20th century to compare the effectiveness of various disinfectants or antiseptics with the standard of phenol, which was the first chemical agent used by Joseph Lister. In these tests, a coefficient greater than 1.0 indicates a disinfectant is more effective than phenol, while a coefficient less than 1.0 indicates it is less effective.