How can you distinguish between alkanes, alkenes and alkynes?

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How can you distinguish between alkanes, alkenes and alkynes?

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Answer 1 · 2016-05-11T03:02:52

Alkanes have single bonds between carbons in a hydrocarbon. Alkenes have double bonds between carbons.
Alkynes have triple bonds between carbons.

Explanation:

Alkanes have single bonds between carbons in a hydrocarbon. A quick way to recognize an alkane is the general formula: $C_{n} H_{2 n + 2}$ $"C"_ n"H"_(2n+2)$ .

Examples:

methane, ${CH}_{4}$ $"CH"_4$

ethane, $C_{2} H_{6}$ $"C"_2"H"_6$

propane, $C_{3} H_{8}$ $"C"_3"H"_8$

butane, $C_{4} H_{10}$ $"C"_4"H"_10$

Alkenes have double bonds between carbons. A quick way to recognize an alkene is its general formula: $C_{n} H_{2 n}$ $"C"_ n"H"_(2n)$ .

Examples:

ethene, $C_{2} H_{4}$ $"C"_2"H"_4$

propene, $C_{3} H_{6}$ $"C"_3"H"_6$

butene, $C_{4} H_{8}$ $"C"_4"H"_8$

And alkynes have triple bonds between carbons. A quick way to recognize an alkynes is its general formula: $C_{n} H_{2 n - 2}$ $"C"_ n"H"_(2n-2)$ .

Examples:

ethyne, $C_{2} H_{2}$ $"C"_2"H"_2$

propyne, $C_{3} H_{4}$ $"C"_3"H"_4$

butyne, $C_{4} H_{6}$ $"C"_4"H"_6$

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How can you distinguish between alkanes, alkenes and alkynes?

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