Question:easy

100 percent pure ethanol is called :

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Do not confuse absolute alcohol with rectified spirit.
- Rectified spirit = \(95.6\%\) pure (azeotrope).
- Absolute alcohol = \(100\%\) pure (water-free).
  • Rectified spirit
  • Absolute alcohol
  • Denatured alcohol
  • Power alcohol
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The Correct Option is B

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: List the common grades of ethanol by purity.
Rectified spirit is roughly $95.6\%$ ethanol mixed with water, denatured alcohol is ethanol deliberately spoiled with additives, and power alcohol is a fuel blend of alcohol with petrol.
Step 2: Notice none of these are $100\%$ pure.
Rectified spirit still carries about $4.4\%$ water that ordinary distillation cannot remove, denatured alcohol is intentionally impure, and power alcohol is a mixture with petrol, not pure ethanol at all.
Step 3: Identify the grade that is water free.
Only through special dehydrating techniques can the last trace of water be removed from rectified spirit, giving ethanol that is essentially $100\%$ pure.
Step 4: Name that grade.
This water free, fully pure form of ethanol is what chemists call absolute alcohol. \[ \boxed{\text{Absolute alcohol}} \]
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