Question

How does ethyl alcohol differ from methyl alcohol?

Answer 1

Hint: To know the difference between ethyl alcohol and methyl alcohol, we should go through the structure and the formula of both the types of alcohol. We will discuss more differences between both of them.

Complete step by step solution:
The difference between ethyl alcohol and methyl alcohol are as follows:-

Ethyl Alcohol	Methyl Alcohol
(i) Ethyl alcohol is grain alcohol. Although it also is dangerous in large amounts, it is the alcohol in alcoholic beverages.	(i) Methyl alcohol is wood alcohol, which is poisonous if it's ingested.
(ii) Besides being part of alcoholic beverages, ethyl alcohol, also called ethanol, has also found use as a fuel to supplement or replace gasoline in car engines.	(ii) Methyl alcohol, also called methanol, is used as a solvent and an antifreeze as well as a fuel. If even a small amount is ingested, it degrades into formic acid, which then attacks the optic nerve. This results in blindness.
(iii) Ethanol stands for Ethyl Alcohol, which signifies that the Carbon skeleton is made of two Carbon atoms.	(iii) whereas methanol stands for Methyl Alcohol, which signifies that the Carbon skeleton is made of one Carbon atom only.

Note:
They’re two different compounds, though in the same classification (alcohols). Methyl alcohol (or methanol) has just a single carbon atom bound to the hydroxyl group that is common to all alcohols, whereas ethyl alcohol/ethanol has two.