The presence of alcohol in the breath can be detected using a breathalyzer.
Describe how a fuel cell breathalyser works.
Any three of:
ethanol «in breath» is oxidized «to ethanoic acid»
electrons pass through external circuit/meter****
«to cathode where» O2 is reduced****
current is proportional to alcohol concentration****
**Note:**Accept equations for oxidation of ethanol or reduction of oxygen.
Alcohol levels in the breath can also be determined using IR spectroscopy.
Suggest, giving a reason, which bond’s absorbance is most useful for detecting ethanol in breath.
Bond:
Reason:
Bond:
C–O
OR
C–H
Reason:
cannot use O–H bonds as in water «found in breath»
Note:Accept “C–O/C–H «bonds in molecules in breath» most likely to be in ethanol”.
Do not apply ECF here.