FREE! Click here to Join FunTrivia. Thousands of games, quizzes, and lots more!
Fun Trivia
Home: Questions and Answers Forum
Answers to 100,000 Fascinating Questions
Welcome to FunTrivia's Question & Answer forum!

Search All Questions


Please cite any factual claims with citation links or references from authoritative sources. Editors continuously recheck submissions and claims.

Archived Questions

Goto Qn #


Is mixing alcohol with water a chemical change or a physical change?

Question #85760. Asked by chemhelp.
Last updated May 22 2021.

Related Trivia Topics: Food & Drink  
MonkeyOnALeash
Answer has 13 votes
Currently Best Answer
MonkeyOnALeash

Answer has 13 votes.

Currently voted the best answer.
Sort of both.

Looking first at a liquid of pure methanol, the researchers observed the presence of rings and chains made of six to eight methanol molecules. When they mixed methanol and water, they found that the chains connected with water molecules to form larger water/methanol clusters.

These clusters are very stable, because of the strong chemical bonds that hold them together. But the molecules don't like to form big, ordered chunks - they tend to prefer smaller arrangements. The flow of molecules in a liquid encourages bonds between alcohol and water to quickly form and disappear. So the weak pull of water loses against the stronger pull of the bonds within alcohol, but the constant tug keeps the alcohol from forming big chunks.

So nature discourages the formation of more clusters in the liquid, and this can explain why alcohol and water don't like to mix.


link https://www.quora.com/What-happens-when-ethanol-is-mixed-with-water

Response last updated by CmdrK on May 22 2021.
Sep 12 2007, 11:07 PM
free email trivia FREE! Get a new mixed Fun Trivia quiz each day in your email. It's a fun way to start your day!


arrow Your Email Address:

Sign in or Create Free User ID to participate in the discussion

Related FunTrivia Quizzes

play quiz Periodic Trends in Chemical & Physical Properties
(Periodic Table)
play quiz All Change!
(EastEnders)
play quiz £2 Of Change
( Currencies)

Return to FunTrivia
"Ask FunTrivia" strives to offer the best answers possible to trivia questions. We ask our submitters to thoroughly research questions and provide sources where possible. Feel free to post corrections or additions. This is server B184.