Alkane (Noun)
Meaning
A series of non-aromatic saturated hydrocarbons with the general formula CnH(2n+2).
Classification
Nouns denoting substances.
Examples
- A significant proportion of petroleum is composed of alkanes, which are the primary components of gasoline, fuel oils, and waxes.
- Methane, the simplest and most abundant alkane, is a potent greenhouse gas with a major impact on climate change.
- Researchers studying the properties of alkanes discovered that long-chain molecules have higher viscosities and boiling points.
- Natural gas is primarily composed of alkanes, specifically methane, ethane, propane, and butane.
- Synthetic methods for producing alkanes involve catalyzing reactions that form carbon-carbon and carbon-hydrogen bonds in the absence of aromatic compounds.