Ho do you distinguish between primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols?

I understand that they are different interms of the amnmount of carbons attacthed to the carbon with the halogen but what else?

Is their like colour, smell, properties?

please help, thanks

You can distinguish between primary and secondary alcohols by oxidising them using Tollen's Reagent. If you get a precipitate of Ag⁺ ions formed in the test tube (silver mirror), that is an aldehyde (which is the product of a partial oxidation of a primary alcohol).

If you oxidise a tertiary alcohol with any other alcohol (primary or secondary) using potassium dichromate (a very strong oxidising agent), you will get a colour change from orange to green with the primary/secondary alcohols, but not with the tertiary alcohol, as they cannot be oxidised easily.

I think that's it

Simple test is the Lucas test.

No idea if NMR is a valid answer at A level, but it's the best!

I understand that they are different interms of the amnmount of carbons attacthed to the carbon with the halogen but what else?

What halogen?

I am afraid that the above answer is wrong.
Well, you can still do the above test, but test the end products with blue litmus paper or any tests that can identify a carboxylic acid.

What are you planning to oxidise it with? Acidified potassium dichromate? Orange to green and all that? Do you see a problem here with your test?

You'd be better off adding some conc. sulfuric and an alcohol and seeing if you get a sweet smell