Ethyl Alcohol

ethyl alcohol. (eh'-thel ael'-kuh-hohl)

    Formula: C₂H₅OH (CH₃CH₂OH). A colorless, combustible, and potable liquid soluble in water, chloroform, and methyl alcohol. It is the second member of the chemical series of alcohols of the general formula C_NH_2nOH. It has a specific gravity of 0.739 at 60 °F (15.6 °C), a boiling point of 172.9 °F (78.3 °C), and a colorific energy value of 7 kilocalories per gram. The term alcohol, when not preceded by a qualification, invariably means ethyl alcohol. Ethanol is the intoxicating element in beer, wine, and spirits. Syn: alcohol, ethanol, grain alcohol.