Assertion : Ethanol is the first member of the alcohol homologous series.
Reason : A homologous series cannot be represented by a general formula.

Options

A. If both assertion and reason are true and reason is the correct explanation of assertion
B. If both assertion and reason are true but reason is not the correct explanation of assertion
C. If assertion is true but reason is false
D. If both assertion and reason are false.

Explanation

To solve the assertion and reason question, we need to analyze both the assertion and the reason separately.

### Step 1: Analyze the Assertion
The assertion states that "Ethanol is the first member of the alcohol homologous series."

- **Correct Information**: The first member of the alcohol homologous series is actually methanol (CH₃OH), not ethanol (C₂H₅OH).
- **Conclusion**: Therefore, the assertion is **false**.

### Step 2: Analyze the Reason
The reason states that "A homologous series cannot be represented by a general formula."

- **Correct Information**: A homologous series can indeed be represented by a general formula. For example, the general formula for alcohols is CₙH₂ₙ₊₁OH, where 'n' is the number of carbon atoms. This shows that the series follows a specific pattern.
- **Conclusion**: Therefore, the reason is also **false**.

### Step 3: Final Conclusion
Since both the assertion and the reason are false, we can conclude that the correct answer to the question is option D: Both assertion and reason are false.

### Summary of the Solution
- Assertion: False (Methanol is the first member, not Ethanol).
- Reason: False (Homologous series can be represented by a general formula).
- Final Answer: Both assertion and reason are false (Option D).