What is Ethanol? Lewis Structure, Molar Mass, Formal Charge and Molecular Geometry

Ethanol is an important chemical compounds. The chemical formula of ethanol is C2H6OH. it has two carbon atoms and one oxygen atom. It attached two carbon chain and one hydroxide group (-OH).

The structure formula of ethanol is C2H5OH. ethanol is clean, colourless liquid. it is generally used in chemical synthesis and industrial products.

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Lewis Structures of Ethanol

This is Lewis structure of ethanol (CH3OH). if you see the structure of ethanol carefully, then you got the OH group on the out side.

And other think that, OH group is directly attached to the carbon. the other three hydrogen will be around the carbon as well.

So, let’s put, the carbon here in the center but out OH group off to the side and put the hydrogen around the carbon.

The total valence of ethanol is 14. but by putting 2 between atoms to form chemical bonds. we have use 8 and 10.

And hydrogen have 2. so, you have used all 14 valence electrons.

So, hydrogen have full outer shells within 2 valence electrons.

Oxygen has 8, so it has an octet. and carbon in the center, it also has 8. so, its outer shell is full as wells.

So, that’s the Lewis structure for CH3OH.

Molar mass of Ethanol

Lets know how to find molar mass of ethanol. Here, we are using periodic table for finding the molar mass of ethanol.

Ethanol (CH3OH)

where,

C – 12.01

H – 1.01(3)

OH – 16.00 + 1.01

Molar mass

12.01 + 1.01(3) + 16.00 + 10.1

– 32.05 g/mol

1 mole of ethanol – 32.05 g/mol.

Molecular geometry of Ethanol

The Lewis structure of ethanol is tell that it has electrons in the atom rang around the atom.

There are two main terms in the structure of ethanol is carbon and oxygen. first term is carbon and other is oxygen.

So, first focus on the carbon and then looking to the oxygen.

First, look out the center atom (carbon).

There are few think are attached to the center atom (carbon).

1. Three hydrogen
2. One OH group

So, the 3 hydrogen and one OH group are attached in the center atom (carbon). According to the no of think attached to the center of carbon.

Now, we can find out the molecular geometry of ethanol.

1. Carbon – If you add few think on the center atom carbon then, when you add three hydrogen to the carbon, it sprayed out. it is not make bond and when add OH group then the bond angle will be 109.5°. so, you can say that, it is a tetrahedral.
2. Oxygen – There are also 4 think attached to the oxygen. and it has 2 loan pair. this is called bent molecular geometry. when you add 2 loan pair in hydrogen then 2 loan pair pushing down the hydrogen and as a result, it give bent molecular geometry. this mean it make bond angle 109.5°.

Now, if you look out the entire molecular geometry, it gives two different results, such as,

1. Oxygen gives bent molecular geometry whereas
2. carbon gives tetrahedral molecular geometry.

Formal charge of Ethanol

Lets find out formal charge of Ethanol – CH3OH.

Formal charge = Valence electrons – Unbonded electrons – 1/2 bonded electrons

H = 1 – 0 – 2/2 = 0.

So, the formal charge of each hydrogen is 0.

Simillarly,

C = 4 – 0 – 8/2 = 0.

The formal charge of carbon is also 0.

Now, Oxygen

O = 6 – 4 – 4/2 = O.

The formal charge of oxygen is also 0.

So, the overall formal charge of ethanol (CH3OH) is 0.