One type of alcohol breathalyzer used by law enforcement involves the following reaction. The amount of ethanol present is determined by a change in color of the solution. What type of reaction is this?
3CH₃CH₂OH(g) + 2K₂Cr₂O₇(aq) + 8H₂SO₄(aq) $\rightarrow$
3CH₃COOH(aq) + 2Cr₂(SO₄) ₃(aq) + 2K₂SO₄(aq) + 11H₂O

Question

One type of alcohol breathalyzer used by law enforcement involves the following reaction. The amount of ethanol present is determined by a change in color of the solution. What type of reaction is this?
3CH₃CH₂OH(g) + 2K₂Cr₂O₇(aq) + 8H₂SO₄(aq)

\rightarrow

3CH₃COOH(aq) + 2Cr₂(SO₄) ₃(aq) + 2K₂SO₄(aq) + 11H₂O

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This is an oxidation-reduction reaction, as evidenced by the change in oxidation states of the reactants and products. The ethanol (CH3CH2OH) is oxidized to acetic acid (CH3COOH), while the chromium ions are reduced from a +6 oxidation state to a +3 oxidation state.

One Type of Alcohol Breathalyzer Used by Law Enforcement Involves →\rightarrow→

One Type of Alcohol Breathalyzer Used by Law Enforcement Involves $\rightarrow$