What is the physical state of ethanol produced by the described hydration of ethene under the specified conditions?

What is the physical state of ethanol produced by the described hydration of ethene under the specified conditions?

• A. Liquid
• B. Gas
• C. Solid
• D. Aqueous

Answer: (A)

Ethanol has a boiling point of 78°C, so at room temperature it exists as a liquid. In the hydration of ethene, water is present and the ethanol formed is typically collected as a liquid (often after distillation to purify). While the reaction mixture may be an ethanol–water mixture, the ethanol itself is a liquid, not a gas or a solid. Describing it as aqueous would imply a solution, but ethanol itself is a liquid phase regardless of the presence of water in the mixture.

Ethanol has a boiling point of 78°C, so at room temperature it exists as a liquid. In the hydration of ethene, water is present and the ethanol formed is typically collected as a liquid (often after distillation to purify). While the reaction mixture may be an ethanol–water mixture, the ethanol itself is a liquid, not a gas or a solid. Describing it as aqueous would imply a solution, but ethanol itself is a liquid phase regardless of the presence of water in the mixture.