Hydrocarbons

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An alkane is an organic molecule composed of only carbon and hydrogen, arranged in a straight chain with only single carbon-carbon bonds. Their empirical formula, derived from the number of carbon atoms, is CnH2n+2.

Their empirical formula, derived from the number of carbon atoms, is CnH2n+2.

Names for the first four alkanes are historic, while the names for those with six or more carbons are derived from the Greek prefix for the number of carbons atoms in the molecule.

IUPAC name Carbons Column 3 Header
Methane 1 CH4
Ethane 2 CH3CH3
Propane 3 CH3CH2CH3
Butane 4 CH3(CH2)2CH3
Pentane 5 CH3(CH2)3CH3
Hexane 6 CH3(CH2)4CH3
Heptane 7 CH3(CH2)5CH3
Octane 8 CH3(CH2)6CH3
Nonane 9 CH3(CH2)7CH3
Decane 10 CH3(CH2)8CH3
Undecane 11 CH3(CH2)9CH3
Dodecane 12 CH3(CH2)10CH3