Design an experimental set-up to demonstrate that ''Alcohol and glucose contain hydrogen but are not categorised as acids''. Also give the reason to justify this fact.
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-15 06:44 · grounding rag
Model Answer
Experimental Set-up (Activity 2.8):
- Take solutions of glucose, alcohol, HCl, and H₂SO₄ separately.
- Fix two nails on a cork placed in a beaker. Connect nails to a 6V battery through a bulb and switch.
- Pour each solution into the beaker and switch on the current.
Observation: The bulb glows with HCl and H₂SO₄ solutions but does not glow with glucose and alcohol solutions.
Reason: Acids produce H⁺(aq) ions in water, which conduct electricity. Glucose and alcohol do not ionise in water — they do not produce H⁺ ions — and hence are not classified as acids, even though they contain hydrogen.
Source: Chapter 2, Section 2.2
---
Explanation
- Examiners expect: (1) the experimental setup description, (2) observation (bulb glows/doesn't glow), and (3) the reason linking ion formation to acidic character.
- Key point: containing hydrogen ≠ being an acid. Only compounds that release H⁺(aq) ions in solution are acids.
- Avoid writing unnecessary details about glucose/alcohol chemical formulas — focus on ion formation.