homologous series

• Organic chemistry


  Chemistry of compounds containing carbon
• Carbon


  • Useful for making large compounds
  • Can form four strong bonds
  • Most commonly bonded to other carbon atoms or hydrogen atoms
• Hydrocarbons


  Compounds formed from carbon and hydrogen only
• Hydrocarbons


  • Butane
  • Butanol
• First four alkanes


  • Methane
  • Ethane
  • Propane
  • Butane
• Homologous series


  • Groups of organic compounds with similar properties and reactions
  • Can be described by a general formula
• Alkanes are saturated compounds with only single covalent bonds</b>
• If a single bond in an alkane is changed to a double bond


  It is no longer an alkane, it is an alkene
• Alkanes


  A homologous series of hydrocarbons that contain only carbons and hydrogen atoms with no double bonds
• Alkanes


  • Similar properties
  • Boiling point increases with chain length
  • Shorter alkanes are more volatile and flammable
  • Longer alkanes are more viscous
• Combustion reactions


  1. Hydrocarbon reacts with oxygen

  2. Forms carbon dioxide and water

  3. Releases energy (exothermic)
• Hydrogen and carbon in the hydrocarbon are being oxidized
• Writing balanced equations for complete combustion

  1. Write unbalanced equation

  2. Balance carbon atoms

  3. Balance hydrogen atoms

  4. Balance oxygen atoms
• Complete combustion only takes place if there is enough oxygen available
• Combustion of hydrocarbons releases loads of energy
• Hydrocarbons like alkanes are used as fuels due to the energy released during combustion