An alkane is a type of hydrocarbon, which is a molecule made up of hydrogen and carbon atoms. Alkanes are specifically a class of hydrocarbons that consist of only single bonds between carbon atoms, and they are also referred to as "saturated hydrocarbons" because each carbon atom is saturated with as many hydrogen atoms as possible. In other words, alkane molecules have a simple, linear or branched structure with no double or triple bonds between carbon atoms.
The general formula for alkanes is CnH2n+2, where "n" represents the number of carbon atoms in the molecule. This formula indicates that for each carbon atom in an alkane, there are two more hydrogen atoms plus the initial carbon atom's two hydrogen atoms. This results in a saturated hydrocarbon with a relatively simple and stable structure.
An alkane is a type of hydrocarbon compound consisting solely of carbon and hydrogen atoms, characterized by single covalent bonds between the carbon atoms. Alkanes are saturated hydrocarbons, meaning they contain the maximum number of hydrogen atoms bonded to carbon atoms. The general formula for alkanes is CₙH₂ₙ₊₂, where "n" represents the number of carbon atoms in the molecule.