Is it true that a gallon of water combined with one gallon of alcohol does not amount to 2 gallons of liquid?

Question

Is it true that a gallon of water combined with one gallon of alcohol does not amount to 2 gallons of liquid?

Answer 1

No , it is not true : volumes are not additive

Answer 2

It's quite true. You will end up with about 1.92 gallons.

Kroschwitz and Howe-Grant, editors, Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, 4th ed., (New York: John Wiley & Sons), vol. 9, 813., referenced in wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol)

Answer 3

Yes, that is correct.

A very simple explanation is that water and alcohol-atoms have different sizes. When you mix both liquids the smaller atoms fill the gaps between the bigger ones.

You can try that with peas and mustard-seeds (because they are smaller than peas)... take 50ml of each and fill it into a bottle or something, shake it and see you much you get in the end... it won't be 100ml.

Answer 4

Yes.

Alcohol is soluble in water.

Answer 5

1 gallon of alcohol and 1 gallon of water add up to 2 gallons only if there is no force of attraction between alcohol and water molecules..But this is not so..Alcohol form hydrogen bonds with water..Forces of attraction develop that has a shrinking effect on the mixture..So the volume decreases slightly..

Answer 6

why spoil the alcohol with water, just party and drink the water tomorrow that way you you get 2 full complete gallons of liquid, nothing is lost as mixed you definitely do not get 2 gallons of 50% alcohol

Answer 7

No it is NOT true