Ethanol Rocket

Theory

Ethanol 3d model

Atom positions

-1.1712	0.2997	0.0000	O
-0.0463	-0.5665	0.0000	C
1.2175	0.2668	0.0000	C
-0.0958	-1.2120	0.8819	H
-0.0952	-1.1938	-0.8946	H
2.1050	-0.3720	-0.0177	H
1.2426	0.9307	-0.8704	H
1.2616	0.9052	0.8886	H
-1.1291	0.8364	0.8099	H

HCH bonds are assumed to be undistorded tetraherdal angle 109.5 degrees. Actually the electrons repeal each other. The HOC bond is 104.5 deg because. . .

Valence shell electron-pair repulsion theory (VSEPR theory). . .

Van der Waals radius

Atom	Radius
C	170 pm	1.42
H	120 pm	1.00
O	152 pm	1.27

Use CPK coloring convention, white (hydrogen), black (carbon) and red (oxygen).

Ethanol reaction with Oxygen and Air

Ethanol reaction with oxygen

${\textrm {C}}_{2}{\textrm {H}}_{6}{\textrm {O}}+3{\textrm {O}}_{2}\to 2{\textrm {CO}}_{2}+3{\textrm {H}}_{2}{\textrm {O}}$

The molecular weight of ethanol is Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle 46.069} g/mol, and the molar weight of oxygen is 32 g/mol. The oxygen--ethanol fuel ratio is Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle 3\times 32 / 46 = 2.1} . We need Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle 2.1 } kg of oxygen to Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle 1} kg of ethanol. The air consists of 23.2% of oxygen, thus the air--ethanol ratio is Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle 2.1/0.232 = 9} .

The volume of the bottle is Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle V = 500 } ml which gives the amount of oxygen to be Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle 0.232 V = 0.232 \times 500 = 116} ml Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle =0.116\times1.429 = 0.166 } g of oxygen, which gives the amount of ethanol Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle 0.166 / 2.1 = 0.079 } grams. OR directly using air--ethanol ratio (9) we have Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \rho V/9 = 1.429 \times 0.5 /9 = 0.079} gram. That amount equals to Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle V/\rho_\textrm{Ethanol} = 0.079g/(789g/l) = 0.1 } ml.

The density of oxygen

Caption text

	Density Failed to parse (SVG (MathML can be enabled via browser plugin): Invalid response ("Math extension cannot connect to Restbase.") from server "https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/":): {\displaystyle \rho}	At
Oxygen (g)	1.429 g/l	STP
Ethanol (l)	789.45 g/l	20 °C