Alkanes: Organic Chemistry

They are saturated hydrocarbons and they form an homologous series called alkanes with a general formula C_nH_2n+2 Saturated hydrocarbons have no C=C double bonds, only carbon-carbon single bonds, and so has combined with the maximum number of hydrogen atoms.

Alkanes are a class of hydrocarbons, which are organic compounds made up of hydrogen and carbon atoms. Specifically, alkanes are saturated hydrocarbons, meaning they contain only single bonds between carbon atoms and are thus "saturated" with hydrogen atoms. They are the simplest type of hydrocarbons and serve as the foundational building blocks for more complex organic molecules.

These are hydrocarbons with a general formula C_nH_2n+2 where n is the number of Carbon atoms in a molecule. The carbon atoms are linked by single bond to each other and to hydrogen atoms.

• The general formula/molecular formula of a compound is the number of each atoms of elements making the compound e.g. Decane has a general/molecular formula C₁₀H₂₂ ;this means there are 10 carbon atoms and 22 hydrogen atoms in a molecule of decane.
• The structural formula is the arrangement / bonding of atoms of each element making the compound.
• Since carbon is tetravalent, each atom of carbon in the alkane MUST always be bonded using four covalent bond /four shared pairs of electrons.
• Since Hydrogen is monovalent ,each atom of hydrogen in the alkane MUST always be bonded using one covalent bond/one shared pair of electrons.
• One member of the alkane differ from the next/previous by a -CH₂- group.
• A group of compounds that differ by a -CH₂- group from the next /previous consecutively is called a homologous series

NB: A homologous series; differ by a CH₂ group from the next /previous consecutively, have similar chemical properties, have similar chemical formula that can be represented by a general formula, and the physical properties (e.g.melting/boiling points) show steady gradual change.