
Hydrocarbon
In organic chemistry, a hydrocarbon is an organic compound consisting entirely of hydrogen and carbon. Hydrocarbons are examples of group 14 hydrides. Hydrocarbons from which one hydrogen atom has been removed are functional groups called hydrocarbyls. Because carbon has 4 elect…
What are the major sources of hydrocarbons?
Types of Hydrocarbon Resources
- Conventional Oil. Oil is extracted as crude oil and is distilled using fractional distillation to extract different types of fuels from the oil.
- Conventional Natural Gas. Natural gas is a colorless, odorless gas that burns readily and is a fairly extensive fuel used around the world.
- Coal. ...
- Unconventional Oil and Gas. ...
What are the uses of hydrocarbons?
Uses of Hydrocarbons
- Hydrocarbons are widely used as fuels. For example LPG (liquefied petroleum gas), CNG (Liquefied natural gas).
- They are used in the manufacturing of polymers such as polyethene, polystyrene etc.
- These organic compounds find their application in the manufacturing of drugs and dyes as a starting material.
- They serve as lubricating oil and grease.
What are some examples of hydrocarbons?
Types of Hydrocarbons
- Alkanes. Alkane are hydrocarbons that contain no multiple bonds. ...
- Alkenes. Alkenes are a homologous series of unsaturated hydrocarbons that contain a carbon-carbon double bond.
- Alkynes. Alkynes are a homologous series of unsaturated hydrocarbons that contain a carbon-carbon triple bond.
- Alcohols. ...
- Aldehydes. ...
- Carboxylic Acids. ...
How do you identify a hydrocarbon?
- Find the longest chain of carbons in the molecule. ...
- After finding the parent chain, you number the parent chain starting with the end nearest the first substituent (a substituent is any fragment that juts off the main chain).
- Next, determine the names of all substituents. ...
- Put the substituents in alphabetical order (ie. ...

What are the major sources of hydrocarbons?
The natural sources of hydrocarbons include coal, petroleum, and natural gas.
What is the major source of hydrocarbons in the nature Class 11?
There are three main natural sources of hydrocarbons: natural gas, petroleum and coal. Was this answer helpful?
What are 5 common hydrocarbons?
Alkenes are hydrocarbons that contain at least one C–C double bond, and Alkynes are hydrocarbons that contain a C–C triple bond....Learning Objectives.Molecular FormulaCondensed Structural FormulaNameC3H8CH3CH2CH3propaneC4H10CH3CH2CH2CH3butaneC5H12CH3CH2CH2CH2CH3pentaneC6H14CH3(CH2)4CH3hexane6 more rows•Feb 13, 2021
What is the major source of hydrocarbons Class 10?
Petroleum is the major source of hydrocarbons.
What are hydrocarbons Class 11?
Hydrocarbons occur naturally and form the basis of crude oil, natural gas, coal, and other important energy sources. In this unit of class 11 chemistry, we will learn in detail about nomenclature, isomerism, structure, preparation, physical & chemical properties of alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, & aromatic hydrocarbons.
What are the 4 main types of hydrocarbons?
What are the 4 types of hydrocarbons? Alkanes, Alkenes, Alkynes and Aromatic hydrocarbons are the 4 types of hydrocarbons.
What are the 3 main types of hydrocarbons?
Aliphatic hydrocarbons are divided into three main groups according to the types of bonds they contain: alkanes, alkenes, and alkynes. Alkanes have only single bonds, alkenes contain a carbon-carbon double bond, and alkynes contain a carbon-carbon triple bond.
What are examples of hydrocarbons?
1. Natural gas and fuels - Many of the natural fuel sources we use are hydrocarbons. Compounds like methane, butane, propane, and hexane are all hydrocarbons. Their chemical formulas consist of only carbon and hydrogen atoms, in a variety of ratios and chemical configurations.
How do I study for class 11 hydrocarbons?
20:015:44:07HYDROCARBONS - One Shot Special Video | Class 11 - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo these are the chemical properties of alkanes alkenes and alkynes.MoreSo these are the chemical properties of alkanes alkenes and alkynes.
What is the source of hydrocarbon in air?
The principal sources of atmospheric hydrocarbons are shown to be vehicle exhaust ( 36 ± 4% w/w of non-methane hydrocarbons), evaporative emissions of petrol ( 32 ± 4 % w/w) and evaporation of hydrocarbon and other solvents ( 23 ± 4 % w/w).
What are uses of alkanes Class 11?
1 AnswerAlkanes are extensively used as fuels.Methane present in natural gas is used in home heating.A mixture of propane and butane is known as LPG gas which is used for domestic cooking purpose.Gasoline is a complex mixture of many hydrocarbons used as a fuel for internal combustion engines.
What is Huckel's rule Class 11?
Huckel's rule states that a planar, cyclic, conjugated molecule is aromatic if it contains (4n+2)π electrons, where n=0 or any positive integer.
What are aliphatic hydrocarbons?
Aliphatic hydrocarbons are composed of catenated carbon chain. In acyclic compounds, the carbon chain are straight or branched. Important families that belong to this group are the alkanes, alkenes, and alkynes (homologous series) with members (homologue) examples like {methane ethane}, {ethene and propene} and {ethyne and propyne} respectively. These members are d first two members of each of the families mention above. In cyclic aliphatic compounds, the end carbon atoms of an acyclic carbon chain join together to form a ring. Example of such compounds are {cyclo propane, cyclo butane}, {cyclo propene, cyclo butene}, and {cyclo propyne and cyclo butyne}, respectively.
What is an alkene?
Alkenes are aliphatic homologous series of hydrocarbon which form unsaturated hydrocarbon. They have the general molecular formula CnH2n, where n are positive integers. These compounds are unsaturated because they contain carbon-carbon double bonds where the two carbons are bonded together by one pi bond and one sigma bond. Each of the member of alkene has and SP2 hybridized orbital with a trigonal shape with a bond angle of 120°, given a total of 33.333% S-orbital character and 66.66% P-orbital character respectively. Alkenes undergo reactions such as Addition ( hydrogenation, halogenation, hydrohalogenation) reactions, oxidation reaction,polymerization condensation reaction and elimination (conversion of alkene to alkyne) reactions respectively.
Why are alkynes more reactive than alkenes?
They are very reactive due to the presence of pi bonds, which are exposed during hybridization. Alkynes have higher degree of unsaturation than alkenes , hence they are chemically more reactive than the corresponding alkanes and alkenes. Alkynes are prone to addition reactions due to their electron rich triple bond.
What are hydrocarbons made of?
June 2015. Hydrocarbons are organic compounds made up of two elements (carbon and hydrogen) only, hence their source name. The main source of hydrocarbons is crude oil. There are many hydrocarbons. They can be classified into two main classes: aliphatic and the aromatic hydrocarbons. Aliphatic hydrocarbons are composed of catenated carbon chain.
What is the formula for alkynes?
Alkynes are the homologous series of unsaturated hydrocarbons with general molecular formula CnH2n-2. They are unsaturated hydrocarbon, each alkyne molecule is composed of carbon-carbon triple bond in which the carbon-carbon bonds is made up of two pi bonds and one sigma bond.
What is the difference between aromaticity and anti-aromaticity?
In conclusion, aromaticity is characterized by stability while anti-aromaticity is characterized by instability. Aromatic compounds are characterized by substitution reaction such as nitration, alkylation etc. They possess double bond but will never undergo addition reaction due to their stability. The scope of aromaticity is beyond this topic given, for clear understanding, one must consult higher materials.
What is the bond angle of an alkane?
Each of the alkane member has its carbon in SP3 hybridized state in which all carbon atoms are tetrahedrally bonded with a bond angle ranging from 109.28° and 25% S-orbital character and 75% P-orbital character. They are made up of a single (sigma) bond. Examples are methane, ethane, propane, etc.
What are the hydrocarbons in nature?
The chemical hydrocarbon composition varies between age, sex, nest location, and hierarchal position.
Why are hydrocarbons used in heating?
Hydrocarbons are currently the main source of the world's electric energy and heat sources (such as home heating) because of the energy produced when they are combusted. Often this energy is used directly as heat such as in home heaters, which use either petroleum or natural gas. The hydrocarbon is burnt and the heat is used to heat water, which is then circulated. A similar principle is used to create electrical energy in power plants .
What are the different types of hydrocarbons?
As defined by IUPAC nomenclature of organic chemistry, the classifications for hydrocarbons are: 1 Saturated hydrocarbons are the simplest of the hydrocarbon species. They are composed entirely of single bonds and are saturated with hydrogen. The formula for acyclic saturated hydrocarbons (i.e., alkanes) is C n H 2n+2. The most general form of saturated hydrocarbons is C n H 2n+2 (1-r), where r is the number of rings. Those with exactly one ring are the cycloalkanes. Saturated hydrocarbons are the basis of petroleum fuels and are found as either linear or branched species. Substitution reaction is their characteristics property (like chlorination reaction to form chloroform ). Hydrocarbons with the same molecular formula but different structural formulae are called structural isomers. As given in the example of 3-methylhexane and its higher homologues, branched hydrocarbons can be chiral. Chiral saturated hydrocarbons constitute the side chains of biomolecules such as chlorophyll and tocopherol. 2 Unsaturated hydrocarbons have one or more double or triple bonds between carbon atoms. Those with double bond are called alkenes. Those with one double bond have the formula C n H 2n (assuming non-cyclic structures). Those containing triple bonds are called alkyne. Those with one triple bond have the formula C n H 2n−2. 3 Aromatic hydrocarbons, also known as arenes, are hydrocarbons that have at least one aromatic ring. 10% of total nonmethane organic carbon emission are aromatic hydrocarbons from the exhaust of gasoline-powered vehicles.
Why are hydrocarbons harmful to the environment?
Hydrocarbons are introduced into the environment through their extensive use as fuels and chemicals as well as through leaks or accidental spills during exploration, production, refining, or transport of fossil fuels. Anthropogenic hydrocarbon contamination of soil is a serious global issue due to contaminant persistence and the negative impact on human health.
What is the challenge of bioremediation?
Bioremediation. Bioremediation of hydrocarbon from soil or water contaminated is a formidable challenge because of the chemical in ertness that characterize hydrocarbons (hence they survived millions of years in the source rock). Nonetheless, many strategies have been devised, bioremediation being prominent.
Where are hydrocarbons found?
Some hydrocarbons also are widespread and abundant in the solar system. Lakes of liquid methane and ethane have been found on Titan, Saturn 's largest moon, confirmed by the Cassini-Huygens Mission. Hydrocarbons are also abundant in nebulae forming polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds.
What are hydrocarbons with the same molecular formula but different structural formulae called?
Hydrocarbons with the same molecular formula but different structural formulae are called structural isomers. As given in the example of 3-methylhexane and its higher homologues, branched hydrocarbons can be chiral. Chiral saturated hydrocarbons constitute the side chains of biomolecules such as chlorophyll and tocopherol.
What are some examples of hydrocarbons?
Gasoline, kerosene, lamp oil and furniture oil are all examples of hydrocarbons. If someone accidentally drinks a hydrocarbon product and it enters the lungs, breathing problems can develop. Serious injury or even death may result. Hydrocarbons are oily liquids.
How to prevent hydrocarbons from leaking?
Tips to help reduce the unintentional drinking of hydrocarbons: 1 Teach children about poisons at an early age. 2 Keep products in original containers, not food or drink containers. (Products such as gasoline and lamp oils are commonly found in the garage or storage areas in bottles other than the original containers.) 3 Put products away immediately after use. 4 Store cleaners, paints, pesticides and other dangerous products out of the reach of children and in a locked cabinet. 5 Post the Poison Control Center number (1- 800-222-1222) on or near the phone. 6 Do not wait for symptoms to occur. A good rule of thumb; if someone drank something and you are not sure if it is poisonous; call the Poison Center right away!
What are some examples of products that contain hydrocarbons?
Examples of products that contain dangerous hydrocarbons include some solvents used in paints and dry cleaning and household cleaning chemicals. Many hydrocarbon products do not have child-resistant packaging. This increases the risk that children may drink them.
How to reduce unintentional drinking of hydrocarbons?
Tips to help reduce the unintentional drinking of hydrocarbons: Teach children about poisons at an early age. Keep products in original containers, not food or drink containers. (Products such as gasoline and lamp oils are commonly found in the garage or storage areas in bottles other than the original containers.)
How to contact poison control center?
Post the Poison Control Center number (1- 800-222-1222) on or near the phone. Do not wait for symptoms to occur.
When did the CPSC approve child proof packaging?
In 2002 the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) approved placement of child-resistant packaging on products containing ten percent or more of hydrocarbons. New packaging requirements allow companies twelve months to change their packaging.
Is hydrocarbon oil harmful?
Hydrocarbons are oily liquids. Many are not harmful unless the oily liquid gets into the lungs. When a hydrocarbon gets into the stomach, it usually passes through the body with little more than burping and an episode of diarrhea.
What is a hydrocarbon?
A hydrocarbon is any of a class of organic chemicals made up of only the elements carbon (C) and hydrogen (H). The carbon atoms join together to form the framework of the compound, and the hydrogen atoms attach to them in many different configurations.
How does the use of hydrocarbons affect global warming and climate change?
The ever-increasing use of fossil fuels in industry, transportation, and construction has added large amounts of CO 2 to Earth’s atmosphere. Atmospheric CO 2 concentrations fluctuated between 275 and 290 parts per million by volume (ppmv) of dry air between 1000 CE and the late 18th century but had increased to 316 ppmv by 1959 and rose to 412 ppmv in 2018. CO 2 behaves as a greenhouse gas —that is, it absorbs infrared radiation (net heat energy) emitted from Earth’s surface and reradiates it back to the surface. Thus, the substantial CO 2 increase in the atmosphere is a major contributing factor to human-induced global warming.
What are hydrocarbons classified as?
Nineteenth-century chemists classified hydrocarbons as either aliphatic or aromatic on the basis of their sources and properties. Aliphatic (from Greek aleiphar, “fat”) hydrocarbons derive from the chemical breakdown of fats or oils. They are divided into alkanes, alkenes, and alkynes.
How are organic compounds named?
The naming of organic compounds is facilitated through the use of formal systems of nomenclature. Nomenclature in organic chemistry is of two types: common and systematic. Common names originate in many different ways but share the feature that there is no necessary connection between name and structure. The name that corresponds to a specific structure must simply be memorized, much like learning the name of a person. Systematic names, on the other hand, are keyed directly to molecular structure according to a generally agreed upon set of rules. The most widely used standards for organic nomenclature evolved from suggestions made by a group of chemists assembled for that purpose in Geneva in 1892 and have been revised on a regular basis by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC). The IUPAC rules govern all classes of organic compounds but are ultimately based on alkane names. Compounds in other families are viewed as derived from alkanes by appending functional groups to, or otherwise modifying, the carbon skeleton.
What is the classification of hydrocarbons?
Nineteenth-century chemists classified hydrocarbons as either aliphatic or aromatic on the basis of their sources and properties .
How many carbons are in an alkane?
Alkanes with branched chains are named on the basis of the name of the longest chain of carbon atoms in the molecule, called the parent. The alkane shown has seven carbons in its longest chain and is therefore named as a derivative of heptane, the unbranched alkane that contains seven carbon atoms.
What are the elements that make up a hydrocarbon?
hydrocarbon, any of a class of organic chemical compounds composed only of the elements carbon (C) and hydrogen (H). The carbon atoms join together to form the framework of the compound, and the hydrogen atoms attach to them in many different configurations. Hydrocarbons are the principal constituents of petroleum and natural gas. They serve as fuels and lubricants as well as raw materials for the production of plastics, fibres, rubbers, solvents, explosives, and industrial chemicals.
What are the most common hydrocarbons in natural gas?
The lower molecular weight alkanes, methane and ethane, are the most common hydrocarbon components in natural gas; however, intermediate molecular weight alkanes up to the butanes may also be present in natural gases. In addition to these hydrocarbon components, some inorganic impurities, such as CO 2, H 2 S, N 2, ...
What are hydrocarbons made of?
Like the alkanes, these hydrocarbons are composed of hydrogen and carbon atoms attached with single bonds; however, they differ from the alkanes in that they do not form chain structures but form cyclic (ring) structures. Examples of naphthenic hydrocarbons are shown in Table 2.02.
How many different hydrocarbons are in crude oil?
While there may be several thousand different hydrocarbon molecules in a given crude oil, these descriptions simply refer to the dominant hydrocarbon type in the mixture. All naturally occurring crude oils will typically contain molecules of each type. Paraffinic, or alkane series, hydrocarbons are shown in Table 2.01.
What is the name of the series of hydrocarbons that are composed of hydrogen and carbon atoms?
Paraffinic, or alkane series, hydrocarbons are shown in Table 2.01. These hydrocarbons are typically studied in introductory courses in Organic Chemistry. Alkane series hydrocarbons are composed of only hydrogen and carbon atoms attached with single bonds. They are characterized by the following formula for the number of hydrocarbon atoms present in the molecule:
What are the effects of hydrocarbons?
The mixture of these hydrocarbon molecules can have several consequences on oil and gas production, transport, and refining. These include: 1 The mixture of hydrocarbon molecules gives the bulk fluids (oil and gas phases) the properties which dictate the ease or difficulty in which they flow through the reservoir towards production wells and through production equipment 2 The nature of any solids which may precipitate from the bulk fluids onto rock grains, wellbore, or surface equipment during production causing operational problems requiring different solutions:#N#Paraffinic crude oils may deposit waxy solids onto the reservoir rock, well completion, or production tubing causing restrictions to flow requiring a remediation treatment, such as hot kerosene injection into the well.#N#Asphaltic crude oils may deposit hydrocarbon resins onto the reservoir rock, well completion, or production tubing causing restrictions to flow requiring a remediation treatment, such as solvent injection into the well. 3 Local field treatment of the crude oil to upgrade it to the required specifications for the pipelines and refineries where the crude oil will eventually flow 4 The products that can be refined from the crude oils once they reach the refineries: lubricating oils, heating oils, car or aviation fuels, asphalt and tar products, etc.
Why do alkanes have different physical properties?
Due to the slight discrepancies in the molecular structures, normal alkanes and isomeric alkanes have slightly different physical and chemical properties, such as, boiling points, melting points, etc. As the number of carbon atoms increases, the molecular weight of the molecule increases.
What is the purpose of hydrocarbons in the gas phase?
The mixture of hydrocarbon molecules gives the bulk fluids (oil and gas phases) the properties which dictate the ease or difficulty in which they flow through the reservoir towards production wells and through production equipment

Where Hydrocarbons Are Found
The Problem with Hydrocarbons
- Although hydrocarbons are very efficient sources of energy, they are not the most sustainable for our planet. That’s because combusting hydrocarbons releases an abundance of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, with advanced methane monitoring methodsrevealing that hydrocarbons are contributing directly to both global warming and climate change. What’s more…
Sustainable Solutions
- Because of these concerns, the scientific community has been searching for sustainable alternatives to hydrocarbons as an energy source for some time. Renewable technologies such as solar, wind and wave are becoming increasingly popular as the costs associated with them shrink, while nuclear is another clean option which does not produce unwanted emissions. In the meant…
Sources of Hydrocarbons
- The natural sources of hydrocarbons include coal, petroleum, and natural gas. These are often known as fossil fuels because they are the remains of animals and plants which died millions of years ago; their remains have become deposited and transformed into sediment as a result of the great heat and pressure in the earth's crust. They are used as f...
Alkanes, Alkenes, and Alkynes
- Alkanes
These are aliphatic hydrocarbons which form the homologous series of the saturated hydrocarbons. They have the general molecular formula of CnH2n+2. Each of the alkane member has its carbon in SP3 hybridized state in which all carbon atoms are tetrahedrally bonded with a … - Alkenes
Alkenes are aliphatic homologous series of hydrocarbon which form unsaturated hydrocarbon. They have the general molecular formula CnH2n, where n are positive integers. These compounds are unsaturated because they contain carbon-carbon double bonds where the two c…
Aromatic Compounds
- The most common aromatic compound (benzene) was first discorvered by Michael Faraday who extracted the compound from a liquid residue obtained after heating whale oil to produce gas used to illuminate buildings. Chemists called the name pheno from the greek name phaineinwhich means "to shine". The early scientists called it aromatic because of the pleasant smell, in this wa…
Definition of Terms
- Homologous series
1. Families of organic compounds with some common properties: general method of preparation, similar chemical properties, general molecular formula, their physical properties changes as the relative molecular mass increases, each member differ from one another by a CH2 group and e… - Homologue
1. Member of an homologous series e.g methane of alkane series, ethene of alkene series and propyne of alkyne series.
Useful Links