Compounds like glucose and alcohol contain hydrogen atoms in their molecules but are NOT classified as acids.…

Question

Compounds like glucose and alcohol contain hydrogen atoms in their molecules but are NOT classified as acids. Describe an activity (with diagram/setup details) to prove this, and explain what this tells us about the nature of H⁺ ions in acids.

Accepted Answer

## Model Answer **Activity (Activity 2.8):** **Setup:** Fix two nails on a cork placed in a beaker. Connect the nails to a 6V battery through a bulb and switch. **Diagram:** ``` [Battery] — [Switch] — [Bulb] — [Nails in beaker with solution] ``` **Procedure:** Pour dilute HCl into the beaker and switch on. Repeat with glucose and alcohol solutions. **Observation:** The bulb glows with HCl (and H₂SO₄) but does **not** glow with glucose or alcohol solutions. **Conclusion:** Glucose and alcohol do not conduct electricity, meaning they do not produce ions in solution. Acids conduct electricity because they dissociate to produce **H⁺(aq) ions** (hydronium ions, H₃O⁺) in water. It is these H⁺ ions — not merely the presence of hydrogen atoms — that are responsible for acidic properties. *Source: Chapter 2, Section 2.2, Activity 2.8* --- ## Explanation - Examiners expect you to name the activity, describe the setup (nails + bulb + battery), state observations for **both** acids and non-acids,…

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