Hydrocarbons
- Hydrocarbons are compounds that are made up of carbon (C) and hydrogen (H) atoms only
The diagram shows examples of hydrocarbons; Ethanol is NOT a hydrocarbon as the molecule also contains an oxygen atom and is not solely made up of carbon and hydrogen
Exam Tip
Remember to state that hydrocarbons are ‘only’ made up of C and H atoms.
Alkanes
- A functional group is an atom or a group of atoms in an organic molecule which determines the physical and chemical properties of the molecule
- Alkanes are the simple hydrocarbons with no functional group
- They are made up of carbon and hydrogen atoms bonded to each other with single covalent bonds
Alkanes are compounds made up of carbon and hydrogen atoms only and contain no functional group
