alkanes
Methane's chemical family
Alkanes are the simplest hydrocarbons—molecules containing only carbon and hydrogen atoms connected by single bonds.
They form a series beginning with methane (one carbon), ethane (two), propane (three), and butane (four).
Alkanes are the primary components of natural gas and petroleum fuels.
Because they contain only single bonds, chemists call them saturated hydrocarbons.
Exothermic reaction with oxygen
- octanePetroleum hydrocarbon measure
- propaneFlammable hydrocarbon fuel
- butaneFlammable hydrocarbon gas
- methaneSimplest alkane fuel
ethane · gasoline · diesel · kerosene · petroleum · natural gas · LPG · heating
Thoroughly soaked through
- hydrocarbonsCarbon-hydrogen organic compounds
- paraffinsSaturated hydrocarbon series
- organicFrom living matter
- homologousHaving shared evolutionary origin
isomers · branched · linear · nomenclature · formula · bonds · sigma · tetrahedral
Simplest alkane fuel
Electrically balanced molecule type
- hydrophobicRepels aqueous substances
- inertInactive, physically or chemically
- volatileLiable to sudden change
- lipophilicAttracted to fatty substances
immiscible · density · boiling point · melting point · viscosity · solubility · unreactive · stable
combustion
Exothermic reaction with oxygen
methane · ethane · gasoline · diesel · kerosene · petroleum · natural gas · LPG · heating · energy
saturated
Thoroughly soaked through
- hydrocarbonsCarbon-hydrogen organic compounds
- paraffinsSaturated hydrocarbon series
- organicFrom living matter
homologous · isomers · branched · linear · nomenclature · formula · bonds · sigma · tetrahedral · conformations
methane
Simplest alkane fuel
nonpolar
Electrically balanced molecule type
- hydrophobicRepels aqueous substances
- inertInactive, physically or chemically
- volatileLiable to sudden change
lipophilic · immiscible · density · boiling point · melting point · viscosity · solubility · unreactive · stable · flammability
- organic compoundshydrocarbon, alcohol, ethane, propane, alkene
- carbon-basedcoal, oil, petroleum, natural gas, methane
- pollutantspollutants, pollutant, contaminant, contaminants, toxin
- hydrocarbonsmethane, ethane, propane, butane, pentane
- petroleumcrude oil, crude, petroleum, oil wells, oil fields
- Chemical Nomenclaturenomenclature, common names