Identifying propanone from IR and oxidation product Steps:

• IR at 170 cm^{-1} indicates 1710 cm^{-1} C=O stretch for carbonyl in P (C3 compound: propanone or propanal).
• Excess hot HNO3/H2SO4 oxidizes methyl ketone P via cleavage to carboxylic acid Q.
• Q's strong band at 1500 cm^{-1} matches COO stretch; broad 2500-3000 cm^{-1} matches H-bonded O-H in -COOH.
• Only propanone fits, as its oxidation yields CH3COOH with exact IR match and no extra bands in P.

Why A is correct:

• Propanone (CH3COCH3) has C=O at 1715 cm^{-1}; oxidizes to CH3COOH (Q) per standard cleavage of methyl ketones by hot conc. HNO3.

Why the others are wrong:

• B. Propanal's IR includes unique C-H stretches at 2700/2820 cm^{-1}, absent here.
• C. Propan-1-ol lacks C=O; shows O-H at 3200-3600 cm^{-1} and C-O at ~1050 cm^{-1}.
• D. Propan-2-ol oxidizes to propanone (Q), lacking broad O-H.

Final answer: A