What is the displayed formula for ethanol?

What is the displayed formula for ethanol?

• A. C2H5OH
• B. CH3CH2OH
• C. C2H6O
• D. C2H5O

Answer: (A)

Ethanol is shown in a condensed structural form that highlights its two-carbon chain and the attached hydroxyl group. Writing it as C2H5OH conveys two carbons (C2) with five hydrogens in the carbon framework plus the OH group, which expands to CH3-CH2-OH when drawn out. This representation directly reflects the molecule’s connectivity and functional group, so it’s the best match for a displayed formula. The purely molecular formula C2H6O only gives atom counts and doesn’t show how the atoms are arranged. Another condensed form, CH3CH2OH, is also accurate and common, but the format used here emphasizes the two-carbon skeleton with the OH group as a compact expression, i.e., C2H5OH. The option C2H5O would miss one hydrogen, so it doesn’t match ethanol.

Ethanol is shown in a condensed structural form that highlights its two-carbon chain and the attached hydroxyl group. Writing it as C2H5OH conveys two carbons (C2) with five hydrogens in the carbon framework plus the OH group, which expands to CH3-CH2-OH when drawn out. This representation directly reflects the molecule’s connectivity and functional group, so it’s the best match for a displayed formula. The purely molecular formula C2H6O only gives atom counts and doesn’t show how the atoms are arranged. Another condensed form, CH3CH2OH, is also accurate and common, but the format used here emphasizes the two-carbon skeleton with the OH group as a compact expression, i.e., C2H5OH. The option C2H5O would miss one hydrogen, so it doesn’t match ethanol.