Properties of Alcohols including their reactions with Sodium Lesson Plan

 Reactions with the different Alcohols to see the change in rate and water for comparison and why not to react with acids. An extra experiment is to time how long it takes for the Sodium to oxidise.

Lesson Plan

Objective:

• To understand the chemical reactions of alcohols
• To be able to identify and name different types of alcohols
• To know the different uses of alcohols in industry and everyday life

Materials:

• Molecular models or diagrams of alcohol molecules
• Examples of different types of alcohols (e.g. ethanol, methanol, propanol)
• Handouts with information about alcohol reactions and uses

Warm-up:

• Ask students what they already know about alcohols.
• Ask students to brainstorm a list of everyday uses for alcohols (e.g. in cleaning products, as a fuel, in the production of cosmetics).

Direct Instruction:

• Introduce the concept of alcohols as a class of organic compounds characterized by a hydroxyl (-OH) group attached to a carbon atom.
• Show students the molecular models or diagrams of different types of alcohols, and have them practice identifying and naming the different types (e.g. ethanol, methanol, propanol).
• Discuss the physical properties of alcohols, such as their boiling points and solubility in water.
• Talk about the chemical reactions of alcohols, including the oxidation of alcohols to produce aldehydes and ketones, and the reaction of alcohols with carboxylic acids to form esters.
• Discuss the uses of alcohols in industry and everyday life, including as solvents, fuels, and in the production of personal care and cleaning products.

Demonstration

• Demonstrate the reaction of Sodium with the different alcohols.
• 
  
  
  

Guided Practice:

• Have students work in pairs or small groups to research one specific use of alcohols and present their findings to the class.
• As a class, create a chart or diagram that organizes the different uses of alcohols by category (e.g. personal care, fuel, solvent).

Student experiment

    Compare the burning rate of three different alcohols, Methanol, Ethanol and Propanol

Materials:

• 3 alcohol burners or alcohol lamps
• 3 beakers or small glass containers
• Methanol, ethanol, and propanol
• Matches or a lighter
• Stopwatch or timer
• Safety goggles and apron

Procedure:

1. Set up the three alcohol burners or alcohol lamps on a table, making sure that they are well spaced out and in a safe location.
2. Fill each of the beakers or small glass containers with a different type of alcohol: methanol, ethanol, and propanol.
3. Using a match or lighter, light the burner or lamp filled with methanol. Start the stopwatch or timer.
4. Record the time it takes for the alcohol burner or lamp to burn out.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for the ethanol and propanol burners or lamps.
6. Calculate the average burning time for each alcohol by dividing the total burning time by the number of burners or lamps used.
7. Compare the average burning times of the three alcohols.

Safety Precautions:

• Wear safety goggles and an apron to protect against any spills or splashes.
• Keep a fire extinguisher nearby in case of emergencies.
• Use caution when lighting the alcohol burners or lamps, as the alcohol can ignite quickly.
• Do not leave the burning alcohol unattended.

Questions to consider:

• Which alcohol burned the fastest?
• Which alcohol burned the slowest?
• How does the burning rate of the alcohols compare?
• What factors might affect the burning rate of the alcohols?
• How could this experiment be improved or modified?

Independent Practice:

• Give students a handout with information about alcohol reactions and uses, and have them complete a worksheet that asks them to identify the type of alcohol based on its molecular structure, predict the products of a given alcohol reaction, and describe the uses of alcohols in industry and everyday life.

Closure:

• Review the key concepts from the lesson, including the characteristics and chemical reactions of alcohols, and their various uses in industry and everyday life.
• Ask students to reflect on what they have learned about alcohols and how this knowledge might be useful to them in the future.