Which compound is a saturated hydrocarbon?
ethane
ethene
ethyne
ethanol
Thanks for any help you can give
ethane
To determine which compound is a saturated hydrocarbon, we need to understand the definition of a saturated hydrocarbon.
A hydrocarbon is a compound made up of carbon and hydrogen atoms. Saturated hydrocarbons are compounds that contain only single carbon-carbon bonds and are fully saturated with hydrogen atoms. On the other hand, unsaturated hydrocarbons contain one or more double or triple carbon-carbon bonds, resulting in fewer hydrogen atoms.
Let's consider the compounds given:
- Ethane (C2H6): This compound contains only single carbon-carbon bonds and is fully saturated with hydrogen atoms.
- Ethene (C2H4): This compound contains one double bond between the two carbon atoms, making it unsaturated.
- Ethyne (C2H2): This compound contains one triple bond between the two carbon atoms, making it unsaturated.
- Ethanol (C2H5OH): Although this compound contains only single bonds between carbon atoms, it also contains an oxygen atom, making it not a hydrocarbon.
Therefore, the only compound listed that is a saturated hydrocarbon is ethane (C2H6).