Hydrocarbons and Alkanes

• What area of chemistry focuses on compounds containing carbon?

  Organic chemistry
• Why is carbon considered useful in making large compounds?

  It can form four strong bonds
• What are hydrocarbons defined as?

  Compounds formed from carbon and hydrogen only
• What is the name of the hydrocarbon with the formula C4H10?

  Butane
• Why is butanol not considered a hydrocarbon?

  It contains an oxygen atom
• What is the simplest alkane?

  Methane
• How many carbon atoms are in ethane?

  Two
• What is the molecular formula for propane?

  C3H8
• How do the number of carbon and hydrogen atoms change in alkanes?

  They grow by one carbon and two hydrogens
• What is a homologous series in organic chemistry?

  • Groups of organic compounds
  • Similar properties
  • React in a similar way
• What is the general formula for alkanes?

  CnH2n+2
• If an alkane has three carbon atoms, how many hydrogen atoms does it have?

  Eight
• What is the molecular formula for octane?

  C8H18
• What does it mean for alkanes to be saturated compounds?

  Every carbon has four single covalent bonds
• What happens if a single bond in propane is changed to a double bond?

  It becomes an alkene