EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -Ethanol is a domestically produced alternative fuel most commonly made from corn. It is also made from cellulosic feedstocks, such as crop residues and wood-though this is not as common. U.S. ethanol plants are concentrated in the Midwest because of the proximity to corn production.

Detailed explanation-2: -The value of corn as a feedstock for ethanol production is due to the large amount of carbohydrates, specifically starch, present in corn (Table 1). Starch can be rather easily processed to break it down into simple sugars, which can then be fed to yeast to produce ethanol.

Detailed explanation-3: -False. Only 1 percent of all corn grown in this country is eaten by humans. The rest is No. 2 yellow field corn, which is indigestible to humans and used in animal feed, food supplements and ethanol.

Detailed explanation-4: -So what part of the corn is used for ethanol? Primarily the corn kernel is used for ethanol production.

Detailed explanation-5: -Today, nearly all ethanol produced in the world is derived from starch-and sugar-based feedstocks. The sugars in these feedstocks are easy to extract and ferment, making large-scale ethanol production affordable. Corn is the leading U.S. crop and serves as the feedstock for most domestic ethanol production.