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Hydrocarbons contain only carbon and hydrogen and can exist as gases, liquids, solids, or polymers.
A hydrocarbon is an organic compound made entirely of hydrogen and carbon. Hydrocarbons are typically colorless and hydrophobic, with faint odors, and they occur in many molecular forms and physical states, including gases (e.g., methane, propane), liquids (e.g., hexane, benzene), low-melting solids (e.g., paraffin wax, naphthalene), and polymers (e.g., polyethylene, polystyrene). In the fossil-fuel industry, “hydrocarbon” commonly refers to naturally occurring petroleum, natural gas, and coal, along with their derivatives and purified forms. Hydrocarbons are classified by bonding patterns. Saturated hydrocarbons contain only single bonds (alkanes and cycloalkanes) and follow formulas such as CnH2n+2 for acyclic alkanes; cycloalkanes have one or more rings. Unsaturated hydrocarbons contain one or more double or triple bonds: alkenes have double bonds (CnH2n for non-cyclic structures), alkynes have triple bonds (CnH2n−2), and aromatic hydrocarbons (arenes) contain at least one aromatic ring. Hydrocarbons also have important structural features such as structural isomerism (same molecular formula, different connectivity) and chirality in some branched saturated hydrocarbons. In terms of basic reactivity, saturated hydrocarbons are relatively inert, while unsaturated and aromatic hydrocarbons react more readily via substitution, addition, and polymerization; at higher temperatures they can undergo dehydrogenation, oxidation, and combustion.
Hydrocarbons contain only carbon and hydrogen and can exist as gases, liquids, solids, or polymers.
They are classified as saturated (single bonds), unsaturated (double/triple bonds), and aromatic (aromatic rings), with characteristic molecular formulas.
Saturated hydrocarbons are generally less reactive, while unsaturated/aromatic hydrocarbons undergo reactions such as substitution, addition, polymerization, and combustion.
An organic compound consisting entirely of hydrogen and carbon.
A hydrocarbon containing only single bonds between carbon atoms (e.g., alkanes and cycloalkanes).
An acyclic saturated hydrocarbon with the general formula CnH2n+2.
A saturated hydrocarbon that contains one or more rings.
A hydrocarbon containing one or more double or triple bonds between carbon atoms.
An unsaturated hydrocarbon with at least one carbon–carbon double bond (often CnH2n for non-cyclic structures).
An unsaturated hydrocarbon with at least one carbon–carbon triple bond (often CnH2n−2 for single-triple-bond, non-cyclic structures).
A hydrocarbon that contains at least one aromatic ring.
Compounds with the same molecular formula but different structural (connectivity) formulas.
A reaction where hydrocarbons react with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide, water, and heat (energy).
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