The ethyl group is a modifier of chemical behavior. The ethyl group has the chemical formula CH₃CH₂--which is often written as C₂H₅. It is frequently abbreviated to Et--.

The ethyl group is a modified alkane, it is an ethane molecule with a hydrogen atom removed. The ethyl group is an example of an alkyl group, or an alkyl radical.

One of the effects of the ethyl group is that as the molecular weight of the entire molecule increases, the characteristics of the molecule change. The ethyl group has a greater molecular weight than the smallest alkyl radical which is the methyl group. If we consider the alcohol containing each of these two groups we can see several important differences. The two alcohols are methanol (CH₃OH) and ethanol (C₂H₅OH). Ethanol has a boiling point of 172°F (78°C) whereas methanol...