Difference Between Ethanol And Methanol
Ethanol and methanol sound so similar, and that is why many people tend to think they both are the same. Actually they look quite similar, but they are quite different from each other. They both exhibit different qualities when you use them with other chemicals and products. |
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Just by looking at them you can easily mistake one for the other. Ethanol is a colorless liquid that is extremely volatile in nature. When it is burnt, it produces a bright blue flame and a strong odor. Methanol is also a colorless liquid and when it burns it gives out a white flame and a distinctive odor.
Ethanol is made by fermenting sugar beets and starch producing feed stock. It is used in alcoholic drinks. It is also considered harmful to breathe in the fumes of ethanol in large quantities. Nausea and vomiting can be caused by it. The symptoms are some what close to alcohol poisoning.
Methanol is considered very dangerous when you are directly exposed to its fumes. If you breathe in excessive amounts of it, it can turn fatal. Even four ounces of it is considered extremely dangerous.
The biggest application of ethanol is for making alcohol. However, today it is also being used as fuel replacement for several things like internal combustion engines for example. It is made from naturally growing products like sugarcane and corn. Ethanol is easily diluted with water and both can be combined together. Methanol is dissolved in water and it will break down further. Ethanol is safe to consume in small quantities, whereas methanol is not at all suited for consumption and is actually poisonous.
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