Alcohols are typically classified into three groups: primary, secondary and tertiary. Alcohol is formed by the fermentation of glucose and yeast. The three groups are different in terms of the number of carbon atoms that make up their chemical composition. Ethanol, in the primary group, is the only type of alcohol humans can consume. Some alcohols are soluble in water; ethanol is one of these.
Ethanol, otherwise called ethyl alcohol, is one of many types of primary alcohols. Ethanol is found in alcoholic beverages, perfumes, drugs and shaving creams. Butanol, another primary alcohol, is used in the production of vitamins, hormones and antibiotics. Methanol is a primary alcohol used to make rubber and other materials. An example of a secondary alcohol is Isopropyl alcohol, found in certain household cleaning products. Menthol is a tertiary type of alcohol found in cigarettes and poisons. Each type contains an oxygen and hydrogen bond (OH), which is further bonded to a carbon atom.
Ethanol, which can be combined with numerous other substances for household use, is often combined with an acid to form ethyl acrylate or acetate. These combinations allow ethanol to be used in a variety of ways, ranging from explosives to aftershave lotions. One of the most common uses of ethanol is automobile fuel. Many cars use an ethanol and gasoline combination, but some cars use ethanol exclusively. Ethanol is also found in beverages such as beer, wine, liquor and liqueurs.
Ethanol is primarily used as an environmentally sound additive to car fuel, because ethanol emits half as much CO2 as petroleum. There are two ethanol fuel types: E10 and E85. E10 is 10 percent ethanol and 90 percent petroleum, while E85 is 15 percent ethanol and 85 percent petroleum. Ethanol is often a byproduct of sugar production, which is the source of much of what the automobile industry uses.