What is Bengal saltpetre and nitre?
Correct option: (D)
Bengal saltpetre and nitre are both the same salt.
It is potassium nitrate KNO3KNO_3KNO3 but used with different terms. Nitre is the mineral form of potassium nitrate.
The naturally occurring salts of nitrate which are present in form of powder and found in rocks and soil and used in fertilizers and gunpowder are known as saltpetre or saltpetre. As nitrates are the source of nitrogen so, saltpetre is also known as nitre.
The potassium nitrate is a salt of nitrate, so it is known as the saltpetre of nitre. Potassium nitrate is mainly found in Bengal and Bihar, so it is known as Bengal saltpetre. So, KNO3KNO_3KNO3 is also called Nitre and Bengal saltpetre.
Therefore, the correct answer is (D).