An Experiment for Producing Ethanol - an Environmentally Friendly Fuel!

 

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Project Information

Title Justification

Abstract

Theoretical Backdrop

Experimental Design

Apparatus

Method

Experimental Data

Graphed Results

Calculations

Interpretation

Experimental Significance

Benefits of Ethanol

Conclusion

Acknowledgements

Terms & Concepts

Bibliography

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The Experiment

Making Ethanol from Fruits

  1. Finely chop a pear, a few grapes and an apple. Mash all the fruit together to form a fine paste.
     
  2. Weigh the mashed fruit mixture. Add more fruit, if needed, until the mashed fruit mixture weighs exactly 200 gm.
     
  3. Prepare three separate sets of the same mashed fruit mixture and each must weigh exactly 200 gm.
     
  4. Put 200 gm of mashed fruit in one beaker and add 10 gm of yeast. Place the cork very tightly on it.
     
  5. Place the cork tightly on the other empty beaker.
     
  6. Label both the beakers as: Ethanol from Fruit.
     
  7. Repeat steps 4 to 6 for two more sets of beakers.
     
    • In total there will be three sets of beakers labeled as: Ethanol from Fruit - Set #1, Set #2, Set #3 respectively.
       
  8. The three sets of beakers are to be placed as follows:
     
    • Place Set #1 on a cold water/ice tray. Add ice every 6 to 8 hours to maintain the temperature of ice-tray between -5 to +5 degrees Celsius. Wrap the beaker with fermenting material in felt to minimize warmth from entering.
       
    • Place Set #2 at normal room temperature
       
    • Place Set # 3 in the sun-room/warmest area of your house on a wooden platform. Turn on a room heater(s) to maintain the room temperature between 40 to 50 degrees Celsius.
       
    • Observe carefully fermentation as it occurs in each of the beakers.
       
    • The fermenting surface will have bubbles as shown below:


      Source: www.google.ca/images

      Surface of Fermenting Material (SAMPLE only)

       
  9. Record the (a) room temperature/temperature of ice-tray and (a) Specific Gravity in Table 1 on Monday of each week . Record this data for a period of 8 weeks as follows :
     
    • Set #1: record the temperature of ice-tray at 8 am and Specific Gravity of liquid in the 2 nd beaker.
       
    • Set #2: record the temperature of the kitchen and Specific Gravity of liquid in the 2 nd beaker.
       
    • Set #3: record the temperature of the room at 8 am and Specific Gravity of liquid in the 2 nd beaker.
       


    Source: Photograph taken by myself

  10. Using the hydrometer (shown below) in Table 1 record the Specific Gravity of ethanol produced at different temperatures.


    Source: Photograph taken by myself

    Hydrometer: Measuring Specific Gravity of Ethanol Produced



Ethanol Flame Test

Pour the clear liquid in a dish and burn it using a lighter. The flame is blue indicating again that the liquid indeed is ethanol!


Source: Photograph taken by myself

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