methanol

[mark_lansch]

how can we differentiate methanol and ethanol?

[sddsddean]

Methanol is CH3OH, ethanol is C2H5OH, but I assume you mean if you have a flask of each, can you tell them apart. I would have thought this is nigh impossible as both smell of alcohol, both are flammable, and to be honest I can't think of a difference you could 'see'. Lab tests would be necessary (I think! It is about 30 years since I did Chemistry).

[j2buttonsw]

Their boiling points are different (methanol is 64.5 �C,  ethanol is 78.3 �C) but for a definitive answer I would test using using gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy.

[sandbach99]

Out of curiosity why did you ask this question

[mark_lansch]

i asked this question because there are some people who produce drinks with methanol and i dont want to be a blind man or a dead one by accident

[Dom Tuk]

I always thought that Methanol smelled sweeter. But you have to compare the smells to know the difference. I would be able to distinguish (i think) the two from the smell having handled the 2 alcohols regularly.

[Gef]

No legal drinks contain methanol, ie ones that you can buy and that have had excise duty paid on them.

[JOEYSHABADO]

If you drink a lot of the substance, and you get drunk, but not blind, it was probably ethanol.

[sandbach99]

As Gef says only illegal drinks contain methanol, only buy from a reputable source. If the price is too good to be true let the seller drink it all. Beware that the labels on the bottles are very good copies, It is usually vodka that is on sale containing methanol  

[Hamish]

Methanol and ethanol do smell different. but in a drink you are very unlikely to be able to smell the difference, it would have to be almost neet methanol.

The advice is good. Buy from reputable dealer