Understanding Alkanes and Their Properties

The first ten members of the homologous series of alkanes demonstrate the systematic nature of organic chemistry nomenclature and structure. Starting from methane (CH4) and progressing to decane (C10H22), each member adds one carbon atom and two hydrogen atoms to the previous structure.

Definition: Alkanes are saturated hydrocarbons containing only single bonds between carbon atoms, following the general formula CnH2n+2.

Example: Propane (C3H8) contains three carbon atoms and eight hydrogen atoms, demonstrating the general formula perfectly.

Vocabulary: "Hydrophob" means water-repelling, while "lipophil" indicates an affinity for fats and oils.

Highlight: The van der Waals forces increase with chain length, directly affecting physical properties like boiling point and viscosity.

The structural formulas show the precise arrangement of atoms, with carbon atoms forming the backbone and hydrogen atoms filling the remaining valences. This systematic arrangement explains why alkanes are considered saturated hydrocarbons, as they contain the maximum possible number of hydrogen atoms per carbon atom.