List two tests for experimentally distinguishing between an alcohol and a carboxylic acid and describe how these tests are performed.

Explanation

(i) We can distinguish between an alcohol and a carboxylic acid on the basis of their reaction with sodium carbonate and sodium hydrogen arbonate Carboxylic acids reacts with sodium carbonate and sodium hydrogen carbonate to evolve `CO_(2)` gas that turns lime water milky.
Alcohol, on the other hand, do not react with sodium carbonate and sodium hydrogen carbonate.
(ii) Alcohol reacts with sodium metal to produce hydrogen gas with rapid effervescence. On the other hand, carboxylic acid does not show this type of chemical reaction with sodium metal.