What three elements are found in every chemical classified as an "alcohol"?

Every chemical classified as an "alcohol" contains hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen as its fundamental building blocks. Alcohols are organic compounds that typically contain a hydroxyl group (-OH) attached to a carbon atom. The general formula for simple alcohols is often represented as CnH2n+1OH, where "n" is a variable denoting the number of carbon atoms.

In this structure, carbon provides the backbone of the molecule, hydrogen atoms bond to both the carbon atoms and the hydroxyl group, and oxygen is part of the hydroxyl functional group. This composition is essential for the properties and reactivity of alcohols, distinguishing them from other organic compounds.

The other combinations of elements mentioned in the other options do not correspond to the defining structure of alcohols. Thus, the presence of hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen is critical in identifying and classifying a compound as an alcohol.