How would you distinguish experimentally between an alcohol and a carb

1.	How would you distinguish experimentally between an alcohol and a carboxylic acid?
Answer» Solution :All the carboxylic acids decompose sodium hydrogencarbonate GIVING BRISK effervescence of carbon dioxide gas whereas ethanol does not react with sodium hydrogencarbonate. Experiment: (i) Take two test tubes, label them as A and B. (ii) Take about 0.5g of sodium hydrogencarbonate `(NaHCO_(3))` in each test tube. (iii) ADD 2 mL of ethanol in test tube A and 2 mL of ETHANOIC ACID in test tube B. (iv) We can observe the gas bubbles in test tube B. No such bubbles are seen in test tube A. Pass the gas produced in test tube B through lime water taken in another test tube. (v) We will find that lime water turns milky. It is a test for carbon dioxide. Hence, this experiment proves that when ethanoic acid reacts with sodium hydrogencarbonate then carbon dioxide gas is produced with an effervescence (a rapid evolution of gas bubbles). Ethanol does not react with `NaHCO_(3)`.

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