ethane
Simplest saturated compound
Ethane is a colorless, odorless gas consisting of two carbon atoms bonded to six hydrogen atoms—the second simplest hydrocarbon after methane.
It occurs naturally in natural gas and petroleum deposits.
Ethane serves primarily as a feedstock for producing ethylene, which becomes plastic.
It burns cleanly but contributes to greenhouse warming if released unburned.
Prone to ignition
- ignitionStarting combustion process
- combustibleCapable of burning
- burnDamage by heat
- oxygenElement eight, colorless gas
flame · flashpoint · exothermic · oxidation · carbon dioxide · water vapor · fuel · energy content
Breaking without separating completely
- feedstockUnprocessed manufacturing input
- petrochemicalProduct from crude processing
- natural gasSubterranean hydrocarbon fuel
- refineryIndustrial purification facility
polyethylene · synthesis · production · processing · pipeline · separation
Five-carbon alkane fuel
- heptaneSeven-carbon alkane
- saturatedThoroughly soaked through
- hydrocarbonAll-carbon-and-hydrogen compound
- homologousHaving shared evolutionary origin
Bonded atomic group
- covalentSharing electrons between atoms
- sp3 hybridizationFour identical orbital lobes
- conformationStructural form or arrangement
- staggeredShocked or unevenly spaced
Heat-trapping atmospheric compound
- emissionsSubstances released into air
- climate changePlanetary atmospheric transformation
- atmosphericOf the air above
- fossil fuelEnergy from decomposed organisms
flammable
Prone to ignition
- ignitionStarting combustion process
- combustibleCapable of burning
- burnDamage by heat
oxygen · flame · flashpoint · exothermic · oxidation · carbon dioxide · water vapor · fuel · energy content · BTU
cracking
Breaking without separating completely
- feedstockUnprocessed manufacturing input
- petrochemicalProduct from crude processing
- natural gasSubterranean hydrocarbon fuel
refinery · polyethylene · synthesis · production · processing · pipeline · separation
pentane
Five-carbon alkane fuel
- heptaneSeven-carbon alkane
- saturatedThoroughly soaked through
- hydrocarbonAll-carbon-and-hydrogen compound
molecule
Bonded atomic group
- covalentSharing electrons between atoms
- sp3 hybridizationFour identical orbital lobes
- conformationStructural form or arrangement
greenhouse gas
Heat-trapping atmospheric compound
- emissionsSubstances released into air
- climate changePlanetary atmospheric transformation
- atmosphericOf the air above
- pyrolysis productscharcoal, char, wood tar, pine tar, tar
- chemicalschemicals, compounds, acids, reagents, solutions
- natural resourcescrude oil, lumber, water, gas, air
- petroleumcrude oil, crude, petroleum, oil wells, oil fields
- energy sourcesoil, gas, coal, solar, wind
- organic compoundshydrocarbon, alcohol, alkene, amine, alkyne
- corn ethanolFuel distilled from maize