Final answer:
Methanol is a colorless, flammable liquid with a distinctive odor, thus the answer to the student's question is C) flammable liquid.
Step-by-step explanation:
Methanol, also known as methyl alcohol, is a chemical compound with the formula CH3OH. It is a light, volatile, colorless, flammable liquid with a distinctive odor similar to that of ethanol. Methanol is a polar liquid and is used in various industrial applications, including as a fuel additive and precursor to other chemicals. When methanol is burned in air, it reacts with oxygen to form carbon dioxide and water, releasing heat in the process, which is characteristic of a flammable substance.
Based on the information provided, methanol would be best described as a flammable liquid. Therefore, the answer to the student's question, 'Methanol is a _________', would be C) flammable liquid.