Question

Which gas is evolved when Sodium metal reacts with Ethanol?

• A. Oxygen
• B. Nitrogen
• C. Hydrogen
• D. Carbon dioxide

Hint:

Active metals such as sodium, potassium, and lithium react with alcohols to form alkoxides and release hydrogen gas. This reaction is commonly used to test the acidic nature of alcohols.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Concept:
Alcohols are weakly acidic in nature because the \(O-H\) bond is polar. They can react with highly electropositive (active) metals like Sodium to release gas and form metal alkoxides.
Step 1: Understanding the Question:
The question asks to identify the gas produced during the reaction between Ethanol (\(C_2H_5OH\)) and Sodium (\(Na\)) metal.
Step 2: Key Formula or Approach:
Active metals displace the Hydrogen atom from the hydroxyl group of an alcohol. This is a characteristic test for the presence of the alcoholic group.
Step 3: Detailed Solution:
1. Sodium metal reacts with Ethanol to form Sodium ethoxide.
2. In this process, the \(H\) from the \(-OH\) group is displaced.
3. The balanced chemical equation is:
\[ 2C_2H_5OH + 2Na \rightarrow 2C_2H_5ONa + H_2 \uparrow \]
The gas evolved is Hydrogen, which burns with a characteristic "pop" sound.
Step 4: Final Answer:
The gas evolved is Hydrogen.