Alcohols Phenols And Ethers

Cough syrup often includes various active ingredients and excipients to help alleviate symptoms of cough and cold. One of these components is ethanol, which serves multiple purposes in cough syrups: it acts as a solvent, helping to dissolve other ingredients that may not be fully soluble in water, and as a preservative, prolonging the shelf life of the product. While alcohol's presence in cough syrup is sometimes debated due to its potential effects, small quantities are generally deemed safe and effective for use in over-the-counter medications.

Thus, among the given options, the correct component usually found in cough syrup is ethanol.

Paraffins are a group of hydrocarbons that fall under the category of alkanes. Alkanes are saturated hydrocarbons, meaning they contain only single bonds between carbon atoms and are saturated with hydrogen atoms. The general formula for alkanes is C_nH_2n+2, where 'n' represents the number of carbon atoms in the molecule. Examples include methane (CH₄), ethane (C₂H₆), and propane (C₃H₈). Alkanes are called paraffins due to their low reactivity and waxy texture in heavier members of the series.

• Number of Bonds: Ethene has one double bond between carbon atoms, while ethyne has a triple bond. This difference in bonding leads to differences in the chemical properties and reactivity of the compounds.
• Number of Hydrogens: Ethene has four hydrogen atoms, while ethyne has only two.
• Number of Carbons: Both ethene and ethyne have two carbon atoms, so there is no difference in the number of carbon atoms.