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No Ethanol is not carbon neutral as I am about to show you
Photosynthesis: 6H2O + 6CO2 => C6H12O6 + 6O2
Fermentation: C6H12O6 => 2C2H5OH + 2CO2
Combustion: 2C2H5OH + 6O2 => 4CO2 + 6H2O
by looking at this it would appear that Ethanol is carbon neutral because Photosynthesis uses 6CO2 per mole of glucose, fermentation and Combustion produce 2CO2 and 4CO2 making 6CO2 per mole of glucose but what makes ethanol not carbon neutral is that you have to burn fuel to grow and harvest the crops for fermentation, fermentation requires heat for the reaction to take place, heat comes from energy and energy comes from fossil fuels.
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Only industrial scale ethanol fermentation requires additional heat. Fermentation is a biological process, in which yeast consuming sugars generates alcohol and heat. Small scale ethanol production with hand picked feedstock, is indeed Carbon Neutral.
Wiki User
∙ 9y ago
Ethanol is considered to be carbon neutral when derived from sustainable sources such as corn, sugar cane, or cellulosic biomass. These sources absorb carbon dioxide during their growth, offsetting the emissions released when the ethanol is burned. However, ethanol derived from fossil fuels like natural gas or coal is not carbon neutral.
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Is ethanol and acid or alkaline?
Ethanol is neutral with a pH around 7, meaning it is neither acidic nor alkaline.
What is the word equation for burning ethanol?
The word equation for burning ethanol is: ethanol + oxygen -> carbon dioxide + water.
Does carbon dioxide dissolve in ethanol?
Yes, carbon dioxide can dissolve in ethanol, although not as readily as in water. The solubility of carbon dioxide in ethanol is lower compared to water, but it can still form a solution.
What is the difference between ethanol and Carbon Dioxide?
Ethanol is a type of alcohol that can be used as a fuel or beverage, while carbon dioxide is a gas that is produced during combustion, respiration, and fermentation. Ethanol contains carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms, while carbon dioxide consists of one carbon atom bonded to two oxygen atoms.
How many carbon atoms in ethanol?
Ethanol has a chemical formula C2H5OH. Definitely, 2 carbons.
Does ethanol produce greenhouse gases?
Yes, anything that is burnt releases carbon dioxide. However, ethanol has no carbon footprint, as the carbon dioxide it releases was recently removed from the atmosphere when the plants grew. So it is carbon neutral.
Does Ethanol contribute to the greenhouse effect?
Ethanol is a biofuel produced from vegetable matter. When the crop grows, it removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. When the biofuel is burnt, that same carbon dioxide is released. So ethanol, basically, is carbon-neutral and does not contribute to the greenhouse effect.
Is ethanol an acid or base?
Ethanol is neutral, meaning it is neither an acid nor a base. It has a pH of around 7, which is considered neutral on the pH scale.
How many carbon atoms are present in Ethanol?
There are a total of 2 carbon atoms present in Ethanol.
Does ethanol contain the element carbon?
Yes, ethanol contains carbon. Ethanol is a chemical compound composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms.
Is ethanol and acid or alkaline?
Ethanol is neutral with a pH around 7, meaning it is neither acidic nor alkaline.
What is the word equation for burning ethanol?
The word equation for burning ethanol is: ethanol + oxygen -> carbon dioxide + water.
Is EtOH a weak base?
No, ethanol (EtOH) is not a base at all. It is a neutral molecule composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms.
How many carbon atoms does ethanol have?
The molecular formula of ethanol is C2H4O. This shows that each molecule of ethanol contains two carbon atoms.
Does carbon dioxide dissolve in ethanol?
Yes, carbon dioxide can dissolve in ethanol, although not as readily as in water. The solubility of carbon dioxide in ethanol is lower compared to water, but it can still form a solution.
Is ethanol acidic neutral or alkaline?
Almost neutral. Please see the link.
Alcohol contains ethanol gasoline or carbon?
Alcohol contains ethanol, a type of organic compound that is also used in gasoline as a fuel additive. It does not contain carbon itself, but ethanol is a carbon-based molecule.
