Alkane

An alkane in organic chemistry is a saturated hydrocarbon without cycles, that is, an acyclic hydrocarbon in which the molecule has the maximum possible number of hydrogen atoms and so has no double bonds.

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Alkanes are also often known as paraffins, or collectively as the paraffin series; these terms, however, are also used to apply only to alkanes whose carbon atoms form a single, unbranched chain; when this is done, branched-chain alkanes are called isoparaffins.

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Alkanes are aliphatic compounds.

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The general formula for alkanes is CnH2n+2; the simplest possible alkane is therefore methane, CH4. The next simplest is ethane, C2H6; the series continues indefinitely. Each carbon atom in an alkane has sp3 hybridization.

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Organic chemistry: Organic chemistry is the scientific study of the structure, properties, composition, reactions, and synthesis of organic compounds that by definition contain carbon. It is a specific discipline within the subject of chemistry. Organic compounds are molecules composed of carbon and hydrogen, and ma...

Saturated: REDIRECT Saturation...

Molecule: A molecule is the smallest particle of a pure chemical substance that still retains its chemical composition and properties. The science of molecules is called molecular chemistry or molecular physics, depending on the particular aspect of focus. Molecular chemistry is concerned with the laws gover...