What’s the Difference Between Methanol and Methane, Ethanol and Ethane Etc.?

Question by Isis88: What’s the difference between methanol and methane, ethanol and ethane etc.?
Is it like a solid and liquid thing? What about butanol and butane, and propanol and propane

Best answer:

Answer by Common Sense
The -ol ending on methanol means it’s an alcohol; same for ethanol.

Answer by Dr. K
Methane, CH4, is a hydrocarbon (i.e. consists of only H and C atoms), containing one C atom (“meth”).
On the other hand, methanol, CH3-OH, is an “alcohol derivative” of methane. It is produced by substituting a H atom from methane by an OH group.
As a matter of fact, methane is a gas whereas methanol is a highly volatile liquid at normal temp. and pressure.

Similarly, ethanol, CH3-CH2-OH (or C2H5OH), is an alcohol derivative of ethane, CH3-CH3 (or C2H6), a hydrocarbon containing two C aotms (“eth”).
and,
1-butanol, CH3-CH2-CH2-CH2-OH, is an alcohol derivative of butane, CH3-CH2-CH2-CH3, a hydrocarbon containing four C aotms (“but”).

The fact that these alcohols are liquid has really nothing to do with their names —- the hydrogen bond between two alcohol molecules is the reason for them being liquids.

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

Informative Speech on Methamphetamine –