Chapter 2.1: The Structure of Alkanes Flashcards
What are alkanes?
o Alkanes are saturated hydrocarbons; that is, they contain only carbon-carbon single bonds
What is an abbreviated way to draw structural formulas in which vertices and line endings represent carbons?
line-angle formula
What does a saturated hydrocarbon mean?
saturated means that each carbon has a max number of hydrogens bonded to it
Why are alkanes often referred to as aliphatic hydrocarbons?
o We often refer to alkanes as aliphatic hydrocarbons because the physical properties of the higher members of this class resemble those of the long carbon-chain molecules we find in animal fats and plant oils
What is a hydrocarbon?
o A hydrocarbon is a compound composed of only carbon and hydrogen
Define line-angle formula
an abbreviated way to draw structural formulas in which vertices and line endings represent carbons
What is the general formula for an alkane?
CnH2n+2
