Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Ethanol, also known as ethyl alcohol, is a type of alcohol produced by yeast during fermentation. It's found in alcoholic beverages and used as a biofuel.
This process involves breaking down sugars into simpler substances such as alcohol or lactic acid. Yeast uses this process to produce ethanol from glucose.
Yeast: These are single-celled fungi that reproduce rapidly and play an important role in baking and brewing due to their ability to ferment sugars into carbon dioxide and alcohols.
A simple sugar molecule which serves as the main source of energy for cells. It's the starting point for fermentation in yeast, which results in ethanol and carbon dioxide.