Pearson Edexcel International GCSE (9–1) · CHEMISTRY · Section
Comparing the two methods of producing ethanol
20 practice questions
Practice questions
1–10 of 20
Question 1
1 mark · Easy
Answer and see the solution →State the main raw material used for producing ethanol by the fermentation method.
Question 2
3 marks · Easy
Answer and see the solution →The two main methods of producing ethanol industrially are by fermentation and by the hydration of ethene.
(a)[1 mark]State one reason why fermentation is considered more sustainable than hydration of ethene.
(b)[1 mark]Describe one disadvantage of using fermentation to produce ethanol.
(c)[1 mark]Give one reason why hydration of ethene is more efficient than fermentation.
Question 3
2 marks · Easy
Answer and see the solution →Explain, in terms of resources, one advantage and one disadvantage of the hydration of ethene method for producing ethanol.
Question 4
3 marks · Easy
Answer and see the solution →The table below compares some features of ethanol production by fermentation and by hydration of ethene.
Feature Fermentation Hydration of ethene Raw material Sugar beet or corn (renewable) Ethene (from oil, non-renewable) Process type Batch Continuous Speed Slow Fast (a)[1 mark]Which process uses a renewable raw material?
(b)[1 mark]What type of process is the hydration of ethene?
(c)[1 mark]Compare the speed of ethanol production in both methods.
Question 5
3 marks · Easy
Answer and see the solution →Countries without access to oil often use fermentation to produce ethanol.
(a)[1 mark]State one reason why some countries choose fermentation over hydration of ethene.
(b)[1 mark]Describe one condition needed during fermentation.
(c)[1 mark]Give one disadvantage of ethanol produced by fermentation.
Question 6
2 marks · Easy
Answer and see the solution →A company must decide between using fermentation or the hydration of ethene to make ethanol. The fermentation process requires less energy but is much slower. The company finds it can make 180 tonnes of ethanol per week by fermentation, but 540 tonnes per week by hydration of ethene.
Calculate how many times faster the hydration of ethene method is compared to fermentation. Show your working.
Question 7
1 mark · Easy
Answer and see the solution →State one disadvantage of producing ethanol using fermentation instead of the hydration of ethene.
Question 8
2 marks · Easy
Answer and see the solution →A chemical company can produce 50 tonnes of ethanol per week using either fermentation or hydration of ethene. The batch fermentation process is only 60% as efficient as the continuous hydration process.
Calculate how many tonnes of ethanol the company would produce per week if it switched from fermentation to hydration of ethene. Give your answer to the nearest tonne.
Question 9
2 marks · Normal
Answer and see the solution →State one advantage and one disadvantage of producing ethanol by fermentation compared to the hydration of ethene.
Question 10
4 marks · Normal
Answer and see the solution →The table below gives some information about two industrial methods for making ethanol.
Fermentation Hydration of Ethene Batch process Continuous process Sugar beet or corn used Ethene from crude oil used Slower (days) Faster (hours) Low temperature and pressure High temperature and pressure (a)[1 mark]Give one reason why some countries prefer making ethanol by fermentation.
(b)[1 mark]State one process feature that makes hydration of ethene more efficient than fermentation.
(c)[2 marks]Explain why ethanol from fermentation needs further processing before it can be used as a chemical feedstock.