Correct Answer: distilled water.
to determine which of the options is a pure substance, we must first understand what a pure substance is. a pure substance is defined as a material consisting of only one type of particle. this means that a pure substance can be either an element, which is made up of one type of atom, or a compound, which consists of molecules that are all identical, each containing the same atoms in the same proportion and arrangement.
examining the first option, a multi-vitamin pill, we can see that it is not a pure substance. multi-vitamin pills are composed of various types of vitamins, minerals, and often other additives, each of which are different types of compounds. therefore, the multi-vitamin pill is a mixture, not a pure substance.
the second option is distilled water. distilled water is water that has been purified through distillation, a process that involves boiling water and condensing the steam back into a liquid to remove impurities and minerals. the result is nearly pure water (h2o), consisting of only water molecules. thus, distilled water is a pure substance as it contains only the compound h2o.
household bleach, the third option, is typically a solution containing a percentage of sodium hypochlorite (naocl) dissolved in water. since this consists of at least these two components, it is a mixture and not a pure substance.
the final option is high carbon alloy steel, which is primarily composed of iron but also includes carbon and other alloying elements such as chromium, manganese, or nickel in varying amounts. the presence of multiple elements in this material makes it an alloy, which is a type of mixture, not a pure substance.
in summary, among the options given — a multi-vitamin pill, distilled water, household bleach, and high carbon alloy steel — only distilled water qualifies as a pure substance, as it is composed exclusively of the compound h2o.
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