3(a) Ethanol is produced by the fermentation of glucose - Edexcel - GCSE Chemistry - Question 3 - 2015 - Paper 1
Question 3
3(a) Ethanol is produced by the fermentation of glucose.
Yeast is needed for the fermentation reaction.
(i) State two other conditions for fermentation.
(ii) Compl... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:3(a) Ethanol is produced by the fermentation of glucose - Edexcel - GCSE Chemistry - Question 3 - 2015 - Paper 1
Step 1
State two other conditions for fermentation.
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Answer
The fermentation must occur at a controlled temperature, ideally between 25-40°C.
The environment should be anaerobic (absence of oxygen) to facilitate yeast activity.
Step 2
Complete the sentence by putting a cross (✗) in the box next to your answer.
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Answer
The correct option is B: fractional distillation.
Step 3
Write the balanced equation for the fermentation of glucose, C₆H₁₂O₆.
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Answer
The balanced equation for the fermentation of glucose is:
ightarrow 2 C_2H_5OH + 2 CO_2 $$
This equation represents the conversion of one molecule of glucose into two molecules of ethanol and two molecules of carbon dioxide.
Step 4
State two conditions for this reaction.
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Answer
The reaction requires a catalyst, commonly phosphoric acid (H₃PO₄), to facilitate the conversion of ethene to ethanol.
The process is conducted at high temperatures (around 300°C) and high pressure.
Step 5
Explain why the country would prefer to produce its ethanol from ethene rather than by fermentation.
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A wealthy country with limited fertile land is likely to prefer producing ethanol from ethene for several reasons:
Land Use: Ethanol production from ethene does not require large agricultural lands, thus preserving valuable arable land for food crops.
Resource Efficiency: The process of converting ethene to ethanol can be more consistent and yield higher quantities compared to fermentation, which is dependent on crop yield and seasonal variations.
Production Speed: The conversion from ethene is typically a continuous process, enabling faster ethanol production compared to the slower, batch-process fermentation.
