Question

(a) What are hydrocarbons?

(b) Give difference between saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons.

(c) Why does carbon form large number of compounds?

Answer 1

(a) Hydrocarbons – A compound of carbon and hydrogen.

(b)

Saturated	Unsaturated
1. C – C single bond	C = C, C ≡ C double or triple bond.
2. Alkanes CnH2n+2	Alkenes CnH2n, and Alkynes CnH2n+2
3. Undergo substitution reaction	Undergo addition reaction Burns with
4. Bums with blue flame	sooty flame

Catenation – Self linking property which leads to long straight chains, branched chains and cyclic chains.

(c) Carbon forms large number of compounds due to

1.  Isomerism – Compound of carbon can exist in more than one structural formula but has same molecular formula.
2. Tetravalency – To acquire noble gas configuration, carbon shares its outer electrons with other elements, thus form covalent bond with other elements.