How would you distinguish experimentally between an alcohol and carboxylic acid

We can distinguish between an alcohol and a carboylic acid on the basis if their reaction with carbonate and hudrogen carbonates.Acid reacts with carbonate and hudrogen carbonate to evolve C O 2 gas that turns lime water milky. Metal carbonate /Metal Hydrogen carbonate+carbopxylic acid ↓ Salt +water+Carboxide Alcohols on the other had,do not react with carbonates and hydrogen carbonates.

\( \newcommand\) • • • • Alcohols, aldehydes, carboxylic acids, and ketones bear some relation to each other as they are easily converted from one to another through the process of oxidation or reduction. An oxidation reaction is ordinarily thought of as the loss of electrons, while a reduction reaction is ordinarily though of as the gain of electrons. In organic chemistry, oxidation is typically observed when a molecule gains an oxygen atom (that makes it easy, huh?) and/or loses two hydrogen atoms. Reduction isthe opposite process, by which a moleculeloses an oxygen atom or gains two hydrogen atoms. Oxidation of Alcohols Alcohols maybe classified according to the number of carbon atoms directly bondedto the carbon atom that is bonded to the hydroxyl group. If only one carbon atom isdirectly attached to that carbon, the alcohol is called a primary alcohol. If two carbon atoms are directly attached, the alcohol is called a secondary alcohol. If three carbon atoms are directly attached, the alcohol is called a tertiary alcohol. That's great, but how are alcohols, aldehydes, carboxylic acids, and ketones related? It turns out that primary alcohols may be oxidized to aldehydes which, in turn, may be oxidized to carboxylic acids. Primary Alcohol Aldehyde Carboxylic Acid \(\xrightarrow\): Tertiary alcohols such as 2-methyl-2-propanol are not easily oxidized. ☞ Alcohols, aldehydes, carboxylic acids, and ketonesare named using the following convention: • Count the number of carbo...

The distinction can be mae by the following tests: (i) Dip a strip of blue litmus separately in both alcohol and carboxylic acid taken in two glass tubes. The colour will change to red in the tube containing carboxylic acid and not in the tube which contains alcohol. (ii) Add a small amount of solid sodium hydrogen carbonate `(NaHCO_(3))` in both the tubes. A brisk effervescence accompanied by bubbles will be noticed in the tube containing carboxylic acid and not in the tube containing alcohol.