Is a paraffin the same as an alkane?
1 Answer
Jul 22, 2014
Yes, a paraffin is an alkane.
An alkane is a saturated hydrocarbon with the formula
However, the word "paraffin" may refer to any of the following:
Paraffin wax is a mixture of alkanes containing between twenty and forty carbon atoms.
Mineral oil is a mixture of alkanes containing between fifteen and forty carbon atoms.
Petroleum jelly is also called soft paraffin. It is a mixture of alkanes containing between fifteen and twenty carbon atoms.
Liquid paraffin is a mixture of alkanes containing between seventeen and twenty-six carbon atoms.
Thus, most "paraffins" are mixtures of alkanes.
