Question

What happens when ethanol reacts with acidified potassium dichromate solution? Write chemical equation for the reaction. Why is this reaction considered an oxidation reaction?

Answer 1

Ethanol reacts with acidified potassium dichromate solution, undergoing oxidation. The chemical equation is:

\[\ce{3C2H5OH +2Cr2O^2-_7 + 16H^+ -> 3CH3COOH + 4Cr^3+ + 11H2O}\]

This reaction is classified as oxidation because ethanol loses hydrogen atoms and gains oxygen. The dichromate ions are reduced to chromium(III) ions.