Alcohol facts for kids

In chemistry, an alcohol is a special type of organic compound. These compounds are used a lot in science and industry. They can be used as reagents (things that cause chemical reactions), solvents (things that dissolve other things), and even as fuels. Alcohols are made of a group of atoms called an alkyl group, which has one or more hydroxyl groups attached to its carbon atoms. A hydroxyl group is made of an oxygen atom and a hydrogen atom (written as -OH). Alcohols are usually colorless and transparent.

How We Name Alcohols

There are two main ways to name alcohols: common names and IUPAC names.

• Common names are often made by taking the name of the alkyl group and adding the word "alcohol." For example, "methyl alcohol" or "ethyl alcohol."
• IUPAC names are more scientific. They are made by taking the name of the alkane chain (a type of carbon chain), removing the last "e," and adding "ol." For instance, "methanol" and "ethanol" are IUPAC names.

What Are Their Properties?

The hydroxyl (OH) group in alcohols makes them polar. This means they have a slight positive and negative end, like a tiny magnet. Alcohols are also very weakly acidic. Most alcohols can catch fire easily, so they are highly flammable.

Common Types of Alcohols

The simplest alcohols are methanol (also called methyl alcohol) and ethanol (also called ethyl alcohol). Here's what their structures look like:

• 

  Methanol

• 

  Ethanol

When we talk about more complex alcohols, we use IUPAC names to describe them clearly.

In everyday talk, when people say "alcohol," they often mean ethanol. This is also known as "grain alcohol."

Other alcohols you might hear about include:

• Isopropyl alcohol (also called "rubbing alcohol"). Its chemical name is propan-2-ol. You might use it to clean things or as an antiseptic.
• ethylene glycol (ethane-1,2-diol). This is the main substance found in antifreeze, which keeps car engines from freezing in cold weather.
• Glycerin (or glycerol, propane-1,2,3-triol). This is found naturally in fats and oils. It's often used in soaps and moisturizers because it helps keep things moist.
• phenol. This is an alcohol where the hydroxyl group is attached to a special ring of carbon atoms called a benzene ring.

See also

In Spanish: Alcohol (desambiguación) para niños