Question

Is C₂H₅OH ethanol a strong acid, weak acid, strong base, weak base, or non-electrolyte?

1) strong acid
2) weak acid
3) strong base
4) weak base
5) non-electrolyte

Answer 1

Ethanol (C₂H₅OH) is neither a strong acid, weak acid, strong base, nor weak base and is considered a nonelectrolyte because it does not produce ions in solution.

Step-by-step explanation:

The chemical formula C₂H₅OH represents ethanol, which is not a strong acid, weak acid, strong base, or weak base. Ethanol is an organic compound with the -OH (hydroxyl) group but does not behave like a base such as hydroxides that dissociate completely in water (e.g., NaOH). Ethanol also does not behave like typical carboxylic acids (e.g., CH₃CH₂CO₂H) which can dissociate to form H⁺(aq) ions in water. Instead, ethanol is considered to be a nonelectrolyte because when it dissolves in water, it does not produce a significant concentration of ions capable of conducting electricity.