what characterizes a hydrocarbon

Characteristics of Hydrocarbons

• Hydrocarbons are colourless in nature.
• They emit a kind of faint odour.
• Alkynes are highly reactive in the presence of a triple bond.
• The number of carbon atoms in a hydrocarbon determines its boiling point.
• Hydrocarbons are nonpolar which means they are insoluble in water.
• Methane is present in gaseous form at room temperature.
• Alkanes are saturated hydrocarbons in contrast with alkenes and alkynes

Full Answer

What is the function of a hydrocarbon?

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. Many hydrocarbons occur in nature.

What is an example of a hydrocarbon?

There are two types of hydrocarbons: aliphatic and aromatic. The three types of aliphatic hydrocarbons are alkanes, alkenes, and alkynes. Aromatic hydrocarbons include benzene. Overall, examples of hydrocarbons are methane, ethane, propane, and butane.

What are the different types of hydrocarbons?

Types of Hydrocarbons

• Saturated Hydrocarbons: In these compounds, carbon-carbon atoms and carbon-hydrogen atoms are held together by single bonds. ...
• Unsaturated Hydrocarbons: These compounds consist of a single, double or a triple bond between carbon-carbon atoms. ...
• Cycloalkanes: These hydrocarbons possess one or multiple carbon rings. ...

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What is the formula of the hydrocarbon?

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. : 623 The most general form of saturated hydrocarbons is C n H 2n+2 (1-r), where r is the number of rings.

What are the characteristics of a hydrocarbon?

The characteristics of hydrocarbons are: Hydrocarbons are colourless and odourless. They undergo a combustion reaction with oxygen giving carbon dioxide and water. Greater the number of carbons, the greater the melting point of hydrocarbons.

What describes 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. chemical compound.

How do you identify a hydrocarbon?

Compounds of Carbon and Hydrogen only are called Hydrocarbons....The yne suffix (ending) indicates an alkyne or cycloalkyne.The longest chain chosen for the root name must include both carbon atoms of the triple bond.The root chain must be numbered from the end nearest a triple bond carbon atom.More items...

What are 3 examples of hydrocarbons?

TypesNumber of carbon atomsAlkane (single bond)Alkene (double bond)1Methane—2EthaneEthene (ethylene)3PropanePropene (propylene)4ButaneButene (butylene)8 more rows

What is the structure of hydrocarbon?

Hydrocarbon molecules have one or more central carbon atoms in a branched or chain-like structure, surrounded by hydrogen atoms. There are four main categories of hydrocarbons: Alkanes, Alkenes, Alkynes, and Aromatic hydrocarbons.

What is the definition of hydrocarbon quizlet?

Hydrocarbon. the simplest organic compounds which are made of only hydrogen and carbon atoms.

What elements make up all hydrocarbons?

Hydrocarbons are compound molecules consisting entirely of the elements hydrogen and carbon. Carbon atoms form linked chains to which hydrogen atoms are attached.

What is classification of hydrocarbon?

Hydrocarbons are organic compounds that contain only carbon and hydrogen. The four general classes of hydrocarbons are: alkanes, alkenes, alkynes and arenes.

What is hydrocarbon explain with example?

(a) Hydrocarbon is a compound of hydrogen and carbon. Examples for hydrocarbons are methane (CH4) , ethane (C2H6)and ethyne (C2H2). All these compounds are hydrocarbons as they are only made of hydrogen and carbon elements which is evident from their respective molecular formulae.

What is the most common classification of hydrocarbon?

aromatic hydrocarbonsThe most common aromatic hydrocarbons are those that contain a benzene ring. The number of isomeric alkanes increases as the number of carbons increase.

Which is not a hydrocarbon?

In hydrocarbons, carbon and hydrogen atoms are linked together through different chemical bonds. NaHCO3 does not contain direct carbon and hydrogen bonds so it is not considered a hydrocarbon.

What are hydrocarbons give four examples?

In hydrocarbons, carbon atoms are joined together to form the framework, and the hydrogen atoms are attached to them in various configurations. Example: Methane, Ethane, Propane, Butane and many more. Was this answer helpful?

What is hydrocarbon explain with example?

(a) Hydrocarbon is a compound of hydrogen and carbon. Examples for hydrocarbons are methane (CH4) , ethane (C2H6)and ethyne (C2H2). All these compounds are hydrocarbons as they are only made of hydrogen and carbon elements which is evident from their respective molecular formulae.

What are hydrocarbons made of?

Hydrocarbons are compounds comprised exclusively of carbon and hydrogen and they are by far the dominant components of crude oil, processed petroleum hydrocarbons (gasoline, diesel, kerosene, fuel oil, and lubricating oil), coal tar, creosote, dyestuff, and pyrolysis waste products.

What elements make up all hydrocarbons?

Hydrocarbons are compound molecules consisting entirely of the elements hydrogen and carbon. Carbon atoms form linked chains to which hydrogen atoms are attached.

How is hydrocarbon formed?

Hydrocarbon gas liquids are derived from natural gas and crude oil. Hydrocarbon gas liquids (HGLs) are produced when raw natural gas is processed at natural gas processing plants and when crude oil is refined into petroleum products.

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 fo...

Which hydrocarbons are used most in modern life?

Hydrocarbons are the principal constituents of petroleum and natural gas. They serve as fuels and lubricants as well as raw materials for the produ...

Are there different types of hydrocarbons?

Nineteenth-century chemists classified hydrocarbons as either aliphatic or aromatic on the basis of their sources and properties. Aliphatic (from G...

How does the use of hydrocarbons affect global warming and climate change?

Hydrocarbons make up fossil fuels. One of the main by-products of fossil fuel combustion is carbon dioxide (CO2). The ever-increasing use of fossil...

Definition of Hydrocarbons

Hydrocarbons can be defined as organic compounds consisting only of hydrogen and carbon atoms. These compounds are of different types and thereby have different nature. Hydrocarbons are usually colourless gases and are known for emitting faint odour.

Types of Hydrocarbons

Hydrocarbons can be classified under five special heads as stated below:

Characteristics of Hydrocarbons

The real nature or properties possessed by a hydrocarbon depends on its size to a great extent. The melting and boiling point varies in different types of hydrocarbons.

Uses of Hydrocarbons

Hydrocarbons are utilized in many ways everyday around us. It can be observed that there is a greater contribution of these organic compounds in nature as well as our everyday needs. They are used as follows,

Things to Remember

Hydrocarbons are organic compounds consisting of only hydrogen and carbon atoms. These are colourless compounds and have faint odour or no odour at all. They are different in nature depending upon their molecular composition.

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.

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 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 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 main by-products of fossil fuel combustion?

Hydrocarbons make up fossil fuels. One of the main by-products of fossil fuel combustion is carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). The ever-increasing use of fossil fuels in industry, transportation, and construction has added large amounts of CO 2 to Earth’s atmosphere.

Types of hydrocarbons

Aromatic hydrocarbons have cyclic molecules, that is, the carbon atoms form a circle . Between the carbon atoms there are double bonds alternating with single bonds. One of the aromatic hydrocarbons is benzene, as well as all its derivatives.

Hydrocarbon saturation

It is said that a substance is saturated when in its molecule all the carbon atoms are joined to other atoms by simple bonds . The molecule is said to be saturated because single bonds cannot be broken and therefore no more hydrogen atoms can be added.

Chemical properties of hydrocarbons

Combustion . Hydrocarbons can go to complete or incomplete combustion (oxidation). They begin to oxidize in the presence of oxygen or in the presence of a heat source. One of the substances resulting from complete combustion is carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and from incomplete combustion, carbon monoxide (CO).

What is a hydrocarbon?

In organic chemistry, a hydrocarbon is an organic compound consisting entirely of hydrogen and carbon. Hydrocarbons are examples of group 14 hydrides. Hydrocarbons are generally colourless and hydrophobic with only weak odours. Because of their diverse molecular structures, it is difficult to generalize further.

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.

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 the physical properties of alkenes?

Physical properties. The physical properties of alkenes and alkynes are generally similar to those of alkanes or cycloalkanes with equal numbers of carbon atoms. Alkynes have higher boiling points than alkanes or alkenes, because the electric field of an alkyne, with its increased number of weakly held π electrons, is more easily distorted, ...

What is hydroboration oxidation?

The hydroboration-oxidation sequence is one of a large number of boron-based synthetic methods developed by American chemist Herbert C. Brown. Vicinal diols, compounds with ―OH groups on adjacent carbons, are formed when alkenes react with certain oxidizing agents, especially potassium permanganate (KMnO 4) or osmium tetroxide (OsO 4 ).

What is hydrogenation used for?

Hydrogenation is used to prepare alkanes and cycloalkanes and also to change the physical properties of highly unsaturated vegetable oils to increase their shelf life. In such processes the liquid oils are converted to fats of a more solid consistency. Butter substitutes such as margarine are prepared by partial hydrogenation of soybean oil.

What is the compound that adds to alkenes to give alcohols?

Boron hydrides, compounds of the type R 2 BH, add to alkenes to give organoboranes (hydroboration), which can be oxidized to alcohols with hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2) (oxidation). The net result is the same as if H and ―OH add to the double bond with a regioselectivity opposite to the Markovnikov rule. The hydroboration-oxidation sequence is one of a large number of boron-based synthetic methods developed by American chemist Herbert C. Brown.

What is the reaction between alkenes and alkynes?

The characteristic reaction of alkanes is substitution; that of alkenes and alkynes is addition to the double or triple bond. Hydrogenation is the addition of molecular hydrogen (H 2) to a multiple bond, which converts alkenes to alkanes. The reaction occurs at a convenient rate ...

What is enantioselective hydrogenation?

An enantioselective hydrogenation is a hydrogenation in which one enantiomer of a chiral molecule (a molecule that can exist in two structural forms, or enantiomers) is formed in greater amounts than the other.

How are alkenes made?

Alkenes are the customary starting materials from which epoxides, compounds containing a three-membered ring consisting of one oxygen atom and two carbon atoms, are made . The simplest epoxide, ethylene oxide (oxirane), is obtained by passing a mixture of ethylene and air (or oxygen) over a heated silver catalyst.

About This Worksheet & Quiz

Hydrocarbons are found in natural places and petroleum. This quiz/worksheet combo will help assess your understanding of the characteristics of this organic compound. Being familiar with the structure of various hydrocarbons and other information from the lesson is necessary to pass the quiz.

Skills Practiced

Information Recall - access the knowledge you've gained regarding Kekule's contributions

Additional Learning

Learn more about the characteristics of hydrocarbon by reviewing the lesson, What is Hydrocarbon? - Definition, Formula, & Compounds. Objectives covered include:

What are Hydrocarbons?

Hydrocarbons are organic compounds that are entirely made up of only two kinds of atoms – carbon and hydrogen. Typically, hydrocarbons are colourless gases that have very weak odours. Hydrocarbons can feature simple or relatively complex structures and can be generally classified into four subcategories, namely alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, and aromatic hydrocarbons. The study of hydrocarbons can provide insight into the chemical properties of other functional groups and their preparation. Furthermore, hydrocarbons such as propane and butane are used for commercial fuel purposes in the form of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG). Benzene, one of the simplest aromatic hydrocarbons, serves as raw material for the synthesis of many synthetic drugs.

Why are hydrocarbons different from each other?

Due to their different molecular structures, the empirical formula of hydrocarbons is also different from each other. For instance, alkanes, alkynes or alkenes, the amount of bonded hydrogen decreases in alkenes and alkynes.

What is the difference between aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons?

As such, it was found out that Aliphatic hydrocarbons were derived from chemical degradation of fats or oils whereas aromatic hydrocarbons contained substances that were a result of chemical degradation of certain plant extracts.

How are alkanes produced?

The alkanes can be produced from alkenes or alkynes through hydrogenation. H 2 gas is passed over a metal surface such as Ni, Pt along with the alkenes to produce alkane.

What type of bonds are in a saturated hydrocarbon?

Saturated Hydrocarbons: In these compounds, carbon-carbon atoms and carbon-hydrogen atoms are held together by single bonds. These single bonded compounds are the simplest hydrocarbons. These types of hydrocarbons don’t have double or triple bonds. In terms of hybridization, they have Sp 3 hybridised carbon atom with no Sp 2 or Sp hybridised Carbon ...

Why do alkanes have a different boiling point?

Alkanes having the same molecular mass but having a different number of branches, the one with less branching has more boiling point this is because of the Vanderwal’s force weak on as area increases.

What is the formula for unsaturated hydrocarbons?

The double-bonded compounds are called alkenes and the triple bonded compounds are called alkynes. The general formula for alkenes is C n H 2n and for alkynes the general formula is C n H 2n-2.

Definition of Hydrocarbons

Types of Hydrocarbons

Characteristics of Hydrocarbons

• [Click Here for Sample Questions] The real nature or properties possessed by a hydrocarbon depends on its size to a great extent. The melting and boiling point varies in different types of hydrocarbons. 1. Hydrocarbons are colourless in nature. 2. They emit a kind of faint odour. 3. Alkynes are highly reactive in the presence of atriple bond. 4. Th...

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Reactions of Hydrocarbons

Uses of Hydrocarbons

Things to Remember

Organic Molecular Structure of Hydrocarbons

Types of Hydrocarbons

Hydrocarbon Saturation

Physical Properties of Hydrocarbons

• The density increases when the hydrocarbon molecules are larger. 1. Its boiling point increases as the size of the hydrocarbon increases (the number of carbon atoms), although the molecular geometry of these molecules also influences. This is because the intermolecular forces are greater when the molecule is larger. For example, the boiling point o...

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Chemical Properties of Hydrocarbons

Uses of Hydrocarbons

Hydrocarbon Degradation

Nomenclature of Hydrocarbons

Examples of Hydrocarbons

Overview

Reactions

The noteworthy feature of saturated hydrocarbons is their inertness. Unsaturated hydrocarbons (alkanes, alkenes and aromatic compounds) react more readily, by means of substitution, addition, polymerization. At higher temperatures they undergo dehydrogenation, oxidation and combustion.
Of the classes of hydrocarbons, aromatic compounds uniquely (or nearly so) undergo substitutio…

Types

Usage

Origin

Environmental impact

Safety

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