Question

Give four examples of hydrocarbons.

Answer 1

Hint: A hydrocarbon is an organic compound consisting of only hydrogen and carbon atoms. They are group 14 hybrids, which mean they contain hydrogen, as well as atoms of the carbon 14 group.

Complete step by step answer:
A hydrocarbon is an organic compound made of nothing more than carbons and hydrogen. Almost all hydrocarbons occur naturally in crude oils, like petroleum and natural gas. Since, crude oil is made of decomposed organic matter. Therefore, it is abundant in hydrogen and carbon atoms.

Generally, hydrocarbons are classified into saturated hydrocarbons and unsaturated hydrocarbons.
Saturated hydrocarbons hydrogen atoms as possible attached to every carbon. For a carbon atom all by itself, four hydrogen atoms can be attached. Saturated hydrocarbons have only single bonds between adjacent carbon atoms.
Unsaturated hydrocarbons have double or triple bonds between some of the carbon atoms.
Examples of hydrocarbons:
1. Natural gas and fuels - Many of the natural fuel sources we use are hydrocarbons. Compounds like methane, butane, propane, and hexane are all hydrocarbons. Their chemical formulas consist of only carbon and hydrogen atoms, in a variety of ratios and chemical configurations.
2. Plastics - Many of the plastics we use in everyday life and in industry are made from long chains of monomers, formed from petrochemicals. These petrochemicals are nothing but simple hydrocarbons of different chemical compositions.
3. Paraffin - The wax that we use for a variety of industries, everything from candle making and food preservation to medical and industrial uses, contains hydrocarbons.
4. Asphalt - the common substance that most people are familiar with is actually a hydrocarbon that has been heated to form the substance tar. It is then mixed with other key industrial ingredients to form the mixture that makes up the road's surface.

Note: The planet’s atmosphere and climate have been changing for decades, and hydrocarbons are one of the main culprits. These substances contribute to the greenhouse effect and climate change, deplete the ozone, reduce and increase occurrences of cancer in humans.