hydrocarbons
Organic carbon chains
Hydrocarbons are chemical compounds made entirely of hydrogen and carbon atoms.
They form the basis of fossil fuels—petroleum, natural gas, and coal—and serve as raw materials for plastics, solvents, and countless industrial chemicals.
Burning hydrocarbons releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
The simplest hydrocarbon is methane; the most complex include long polymer chains.
Refined petroleum vehicle fuel
- dieselCompression-ignition fuel
- keroseneFlammable petroleum distillate
- jet fuelAircraft turbine propellant
- octanePetroleum hydrocarbon measure
combustion · refinery · crude oil · petroleum · natural gas · butane · ethanol · biodiesel
Saturated hydrocarbon series
- acetyleneFlammable welding fuel
- alkanesSaturated hydrocarbon compounds
- alkenesUnsaturated hydrocarbons with C=C
- saturatedThoroughly soaked through
unsaturated · straight-chain · branched · isoprene · butadiene · propylene · waxes · mineral oil
Unsaturated three-carbon hydrocarbon
- butadieneConjugated four-carbon diene
- benzeneAromatic hydrocarbon solvent
- tolueneAromatic solvent from petroleum
- xyleneDimethylbenzene industrial solvent
styrene · naphtha · feedstock · cracking · polymerization · polyethylene · plastics · synthetic
Flammable hydrocarbon gas
- pentaneFive-carbon alkane fuel
- hexaneC6H14 alkane solvent
- heptaneSeven-carbon alkane
- octanePetroleum hydrocarbon measure
decane · benzene · toluene · xylene · naphthalene · alkane · alkene · alkyne
Substances released into air
- smogSunlight-activated urban pollution
- exhaustUse up entirely
- sootCarbon from incomplete burning
- particulatesMinute airborne solids or droplets
carcinogens · greenhouse gases · oil spill · air quality · environmental impact
Exothermic reaction with oxygen
- calorificProducing heat energy
- exothermicReleasing energy as heat
- BTUHeat measurement abbreviation
- jouleSI energy quantity
fossil fuel · nonrenewable · heat · power · burning · ignition · flammability · energy density
gasoline
Refined petroleum vehicle fuel
- dieselCompression-ignition fuel
- keroseneFlammable petroleum distillate
- jet fuelAircraft turbine propellant
octane · combustion · refinery · crude oil · petroleum · natural gas · butane · ethanol · biodiesel · heating oil
paraffins
Saturated hydrocarbon series
- acetyleneFlammable welding fuel
- alkanesSaturated hydrocarbon compounds
- alkenesUnsaturated hydrocarbons with C=C
saturated · unsaturated · straight-chain · branched · isoprene · butadiene · propylene · waxes · mineral oil · petroleum jelly
propylene
Unsaturated three-carbon hydrocarbon
- butadieneConjugated four-carbon diene
- benzeneAromatic hydrocarbon solvent
- tolueneAromatic solvent from petroleum
xylene · styrene · naphtha · feedstock · cracking · polymerization · polyethylene · plastics · synthetic · resins
butane
Flammable hydrocarbon gas
octane · decane · benzene · toluene · xylene · naphthalene · alkane · alkene · alkyne · aromatic
emissions
Substances released into air
particulates · carcinogens · greenhouse gases · oil spill · air quality · environmental impact
combustion
Exothermic reaction with oxygen
- calorificProducing heat energy
- exothermicReleasing energy as heat
- BTUHeat measurement abbreviation
joule · fossil fuel · nonrenewable · heat · power · burning · ignition · flammability · energy density · oxidation
- fuel propertiesoctane, flash point, viscosity, energy density, vapor pressure
- Carbongraphite, diamond, diamonds, graphene, fullerene
- fossil fuelspetroleum, crude oil, natural gas, coal, anthracite
- petroleumcrude oil, crude, petroleum, oil wells, oil fields
- Substancesmatter, elements, compounds, molecules, atoms
- fuelfuel, diesel, gasoline, petroleum, crude oil
hydrocarbonsrenewables
Replenishing energy sources
green energy · clean energy · renewable energy · wind power · nuclear energy