Question

Wood spirit is known as
A.Methanol
B.Ethanol
C.Acetone
D.Benzene

Answer 1

Wood spirit is a volatile, flammable, poisonous liquid alcohol. Methanol is also referred to as wood alcohol or wood spirit or wood naphtha as the earliest method for its preparation was by destructive distillation of wood.

Complete answer:
Methanol (${\mathbf{C}}{{\mathbf{H}}_{\mathbf{3}}}{\mathbf{OH}}$) which is also known as methyl alcohol, wood alcohol, or wood spirit, is the simplest of a long series of organic compounds called alcohols, consisting of a methyl group ($C{H_3}$) which is linked with a hydroxyl group (OH).
Methanol was formerly produced by the destructive distillation of wood. Now, the modern method of preparing methanol is based on the direct combination of carbon monoxide gas and hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst. Increasingly, syngas, a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide derived from biomass, is used for methanol production.
Hence, Methanol is known as wood spirit.

Therefore, the correct answer is option (A).
Note:
Wood spirit has a distinctive odour which is milder and sweeter than ethanol. It is volatile and does not have any colour. It is a flammable, light, poisonous liquid. The consumption of methanol is toxic and it can cause blindness. It is widely used in the manufacture of acetic acid and formaldehyde. Robert Boyle was the first to isolate methanol in the year 1661. It was produced by the distillation of boxwood (Buxus). It is a common laboratory solvent. It is a frequent denaturant additive in the manufacturing of ethanol. It is used to produce hydrocarbons, used as a precursor for methyl ethers, methylamines, and methyl halides, an excellent energy carrier.