The simplest carbon compounds have only carbon and hydrogen. In this course we meet the alkanes, alkenes and alkynes, we learn that the same formula can have different structures, and we learn the rules that give every compound its name.
3 lessons, about 1 h 15 min3 simulations10 problems6 practice questionsPython in every lesson
Created by StemPy LabA hydrocarbon has only carbon and hydrogen. In a saturated hydrocarbon, the alkane, all the bonds are single bonds, and the formula is CnH2n+2. Compounds with the same formula and different structures are isomers.
If two neighbouring carbon atoms share two pairs of electrons they have a double bond, and if they share three pairs they have a triple bond. Such a hydrocarbon has fewer hydrogen atoms than an alkane with the same carbons and is unsaturated. An alkene has one double bond C=C, ends in ene, and has the formula CnH2n, as in ethene C2H4. An alkyne has one triple bond, ends in yne, and has the formula CnH2n minus 2, as in ethyne C2H2. Ring compounds have the prefix cyclo, as cyclohexane C6H12 and benzene C6H6. Comparing the number of hydrogens with 2n plus 2 tells the type.
A functional group is an atom or group of atoms that decides the properties of a compound. A homologous series is a family with the same functional group, in which each member differs from the next by CH2. A name has a stem for the number of carbon atoms and an ending for the group.
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