Final answer:
Alcohols are organic compounds containing one or more hydroxyl (-OH) groups, covalently bonded to an aliphatic carbon atom, with methanol and ethanol being the simplest examples.
Step-by-step explanation:
Alcohols are a class of organic compounds characterized by the presence of one or more hydroxyl (-OH) groups attached to a carbon atom in an aliphatic chain. Their general formula is represented as ROH, where R represents an alkyl group. Methanol (CH3OH) and ethanol (CH3CH2OH) are the simplest members of this class. Alcohols are widely recognized in everyday life, not only as the intoxicating component found in alcoholic beverages (ethanol), but also as important compounds like cholesterol and the various forms of carbohydrates. Unlike ionic hydroxides, such as NaOH, the hydroxyl groups in alcohols are covalently bonded and do not ionize in solution, which contributes to their unique solubility and boiling properties compared to similar-sized alkanes.