• Common Name Acetaldehyde• Systematic Name Ethanal• Molecular Formula C2H4O• Gram Formula Mass 44.05 g/mol• Elements in Molecule

Carbon, Oxygen, and Hydrogen• Types of Bonds in Molecule

Single and Double Covalent Bonds

Carbon can make four covalent bonds-Four unpaired electronsHydrogen can make one covalent bonds-One unpaired electronOxygen can make two covalent bonds-Two unpaired electrons

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• Alcohol is converted into Ethanal in human metabolism.

• Yeast and bacteria convert Ethanal to acetic acid in the vinegar making process.

• Used in the production of wood and bookbinding glues known as polyvinyl acetates

• Vinegar is a very common food in most cultures around the world.

• Ethyl alcohol, found in foods and beverages, must be broken down into Ethanal in our bodies or it would reach a toxic level that would be lethal.

5This is the reaction pathway in our bodies and in vinegar production

• I think food with be less interesting if Ethanal because we wouldn’t have vinegar for our salad dressing, pickles, or countless other recipes that include this sour product.

• Ethanal is a colorless liquid that has a stong “green apple” smell and without it we might not have this flavor for our candy, gum, etc.

• When carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen bind together in Ethanal all of the atoms have full valence shells and benefit in being more stable than existing as atoms alone.

• Since Ethanal reacts with oxygen to form acetic acid, the atoms can be more stable (benefit) when bonded together in acetic acid.

1. The Alkane Series: Building Them From Scratchhttp://www.green-planet-solar-energy.com/electron-dot-diagram.html

Accessed 12/06/092. Wikipedia Commons File:Acetaldehyde-2D.pnghttp://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Acetaldehyde-2D.png

Accessed 12/06/093. Background: Ethanol's Journey Through Your Body http://www.biochem.arizona.edu/classes/bioc462/462bh2008/462bhonorsprojects/462bhonors206/lowej/Acetaldehyde/ingestalcohol2.htm

Accessed 12/06/094. The Race Equity Projecthttp://lsnc.net/equity/category/environmental-justice/

Accessed 12/06/095. Science Aid-Alcoholshttp://scienceaid.co.uk/chemistry/organic/alcohols.html

Accessed 12/31/096. International Agency for Research for Cancerhttp://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Monographs/vol71/mono71-11.pdf

Accessed 12/31/09