Related topics: alcohol consumption , drinking , alcohol abuse , genes , brain
Alcohol
hideIn chemistry, an alcohol is any organic compound in which a hydroxyl group (-OH) is bound to a carbon atom of an alkyl or substituted alkyl group. The general formula for a simple acyclic alcohol is CnH2n+1OH. In common terms, the word alcohol refers to ethanol, the type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages.
Ethanol is a colorless, volatile liquid with a mild odor which can be obtained by the fermentation of sugars. (Industrially, it is more commonly obtained by ethylene hydration—the reaction of ethylene with water in the presence of phosphoric acid.) Ethanol is the most widely used depressant in the world, and has been for thousands of years. This sense underlies the term alcoholism (addiction to alcohol).
Other alcohols are usually described with a clarifying adjective, as in isopropyl alcohol (propan-2-ol) or wood alcohol (methyl alcohol, or methanol). The suffix -ol appears in the IUPAC chemical name of all alcohols.[citation needed]
There are three major subsets of alcohols: primary (1°), secondary (2°) and tertiary (3°), based upon the number of carbon atoms the C-OH group's carbon (shown in red) is bonded to. Ethanol is a simple 'primary' alcohol. The simplest secondary alcohol is isopropyl alcohol (propan-2-ol), and a simple tertiary alcohol is tert-butyl alcohol (2-methylpropan-2-ol).
For more information about Alcohol, read the full article at
Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.
News tagged with alcohol
Postural sway among abstinent alcoholics can be improved up to a point
Dec 18, 2009 |
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Excessive sway during quiet standing is a common and significant consequence of chronic alcoholism, even after prolonged sobriety, and can lead to fall-related injury and even death. A new study of residual postural instability ...
The use and misuse of alcohol and marijuana can be traced to a common set of genes
Dec 18, 2009 |
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Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States. Roughly eight to 12 percent of marijuana users are considered "dependent" and, just like alcohol, the severity of symptoms increases with heavier use. ...
Bourbon versus vodka: Bourbon hurts more the next day, performance is the same
Dec 18, 2009 |
3.7 / 5 (3) |
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Many alcoholic beverages contain byproducts of the materials used in the fermenting process. These byproducts are called "congeners," complex organic molecules with toxic effects including acetone, acetaldehyde, fusel oil, ...
The drink and violence ?gender gap?
Dec 16, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Women and men are at the same risk of violence - until they start drinking, new research from Cardiff University has shown.
New study links DHA type of omega-3 to better nervous-system function
Medicine & Health / Neuroscience
Dec 16, 2009 |
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The omega-3 essential fatty acids commonly found in fatty fish and algae help animals avoid sensory overload, according to research published by the American Psychological Association. The finding connects low omega-3s to ...
Drinks industry supplanting government role in alcohol policies in Sub-Saharan Africa
Dec 15, 2009 |
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A recent comparison of proposed national alcohol policies in Lesotho, Malawi, Uganda, and Botswana shows that the drinks industry has assumed a significant and detrimental role in designing national alcohol policies in Sub-Saharan ...
Marriage is good for the health: global study
Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry
Dec 15, 2009 |
3.7 / 5 (3) |
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Despite the barbs of comedians and the spectacular bust-ups documented in the gossip magazines, marriage really is good for you, international research has found.
Book demystifies psychiatry for the general public
Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry
Dec 14, 2009 |
4.7 / 5 (3) |
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Psychiatric disorders are underdiagnosed, poorly treated and highly stigmatized, according to psychiatrists Charles F. Zorumski, M.D., and Eugene H. Rubin, M.D., Ph.D. So these Washington University physicians ...
Witnesses to bullying may face more mental health risks than bullies and victims
Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry
Dec 14, 2009 |
5 / 5 (1) |
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Students who watch as their peers endure the verbal or physical abuses of another student could become as psychologically distressed, if not more so, by the events than the victims themselves, new research suggests.
Flies like us: They can act like addicts, too
Dec 10, 2009 |
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When given the chance to consume alcohol at will, fruit flies behave in ways that look an awful lot like human alcoholism. That's according to a study published online on December 10th in Current Biology that is one of the ...
Alcohol consumption increases risk of breast cancer recurrence
Dec 10, 2009 |
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Moderate to heavy consumption of alcoholic beverages (at least three to four drinks per week) is associated with a 1.3-fold increased risk of breast cancer recurrence. Women who are post-menopausal or overweight may be most ...
Family life can lead to cannabis disorders
Dec 09, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- One in five young people experience a cannabis use disorder, according to a UQ and Mater Hospital study published today in the American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse.
What's the best hangover cure? Truth be told, there isn't one
Dec 09, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- With the holiday party season at hand, UNC's Dr. James C. Garbutt offers these tips about how to enjoy a few drinks responsibly -- while sparing yourself and those around you from the potentially ...
Caffeine doesn't reverse the negative cognitive impact of alcohol, study shows
Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry
Dec 07, 2009 |
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People who drink may want to know that coffee won't sober them up, according to new laboratory research. Instead, a cup of coffee may make it harder for people to realize they're drunk.
Head and neck cancer survivors who use alcohol and cigarettes have increased death risk
Dec 03, 2009 |
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Cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption before head and neck cancer diagnosis strongly predicts the patient's future risk of death, according to published studies. Now, results of a new study show a similar effect among ...
