The formula `C_(3)H_(8)O` represents:

Options

A. An ether only
B. An alcohol only
C. Both ether and alcohols
D. Neither ether and alcohols

Explanation

To determine what the formula \( C_3H_8O \) represents, we can follow these steps:

### Step 1: Analyze the Molecular Formula
The given molecular formula is \( C_3H_8O \). This indicates that there are:
- 3 Carbon (C) atoms
- 8 Hydrogen (H) atoms
- 1 Oxygen (O) atom

### Step 2: Determine Possible Functional Groups
The presence of oxygen in the compound suggests that it could belong to several functional groups, primarily:
- Alcohols (which contain a hydroxyl group, -OH)
- Ethers (which have an oxygen atom connected to two alkyl or aryl groups)

### Step 3: Identify the Structure
To identify the structure, we can consider the arrangement of the carbon and oxygen atoms.
- One possible structure is an alcohol, where the hydroxyl group (-OH) is attached to one of the carbon atoms. For example, \( CH_3CH_2CH_2OH \) (propan-1-ol) or \( CH_3CH(OH)CH_3 \) (propan-2-ol).
- Another possibility is an ether, where the oxygen atom is between two carbon chains, such as \( CH_3OCH_2CH_3 \) (ethyl methyl ether).

### Step 4: Count the Atoms
For both structures:
- In propan-1-ol (an alcohol), the structure is \( CH_3CH_2CH_2OH \), which has 3 carbons, 8 hydrogens, and 1 oxygen.
- In propan-2-ol (another alcohol), the structure is \( CH_3CH(OH)CH_3 \), which also has 3 carbons, 8 hydrogens, and 1 oxygen.
- For ethers, \( CH_3OCH_2CH_3 \) also matches the formula.

### Step 5: Conclusion
Thus, the molecular formula \( C_3H_8O \) can represent both an alcohol and an ether. Therefore, the answer is that \( C_3H_8O \) represents both an alcohol and an ether.

### Final Answer
The formula \( C_3H_8O \) represents both an alcohol and an ether.

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