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# Alcohol

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In general "alcohols" are any of the class of compounds that consist of a hydroxyl functional group (-OH) and a linear alkane hydrocarbon group (CxHy). For example the following structure is for ethanol, or ethyl-alcohol.

       H    H
       |    |
    H--C----C--OH
       |    |
       H    H

In common usage "alcohol" refers simply to ethanol?. Produced by fermentation? of fruits or grains with yeast?, and usually taken in the form of a drink, it is one of the most widely used [recreational drug]?s in the world. Ingestion in sufficient quantity results in a state known as drunkenness.

Alcohols are, as other hydrocarbons, in wide use in the industry and science fields. State-of-the-art engineering has achieved to replace gasoline (and other hydrocarbons which produce toxic fumes) with forms of alcohol such as ethanol or methanol (which burn almost cleanly). This practice is standard in Formula 1 racing.

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Last edited August 15, 2001 12:44 pm (diff)
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