CAIE IGCSE Chemistry 11.6 Alcohols Questions

Practise alcohol structures and reactions, ethanol manufacture by fermentation or hydration and comparisons of conditions, purity and feedstock sustainability.

Syllabus
2026–2028
Course
Chemistry 0620

Exam points

  • identify alcohol structures through the hydroxyl group and apply the alcohol general formula
  • write combustion, oxidation or esterification equations and predict the named products
  • compare fermentation with catalytic ethene hydration using conditions, rate, purity and renewability

Question 1

[Maximum number: 1]

The flow chart shows the preparation of ethanol and some important chemistry of ethanol.

 substance X fermentation  ethanol  process Y carbon dioxide + substance Z\text { substance } X \xrightarrow{\text { fermentation }} \text { ethanol } \xrightarrow{\text { process } Y} \text { carbon dioxide }+ \text { substance } Z

What are X, Y and Z ?

X

Y

Z

yeast

combustion

oxygen

glucose

combustion

steam

glucose

polymerisation

water

yeast

fermentation

glucose

Question 2

[Maximum number: 1]

Which statements about ethanol are correct?
1 Ethanol is used as a solvent.
2 Ethanol can be made directly from ethane.
3 Ethanol is a covalent compound.

A

1 only

B

1 and 2

C

1 and 3

D

2 and 3

Question 3

[Maximum number: 1]

What is an advantage of manufacturing ethanol by fermentation rather than by the addition of steam to ethene?

A

No gases that cause global warming are produced.

B

The ethanol that is produced is pure.

C

Fermentation is a fast process.

D

Fermentation uses renewable raw materials.

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