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What element do all organic chemicals contain?


Alkanes are made of a chain of what? What elements are they surrounded by?

-Carbon atoms


What are the only bonds that alkanes contain?

-Covalent bonds

What ‘visibly’ shows that alkanes are different?

-Length chains of carbon atoms.

What is the formula for all alkanes?


What does ‘n’ represent?

-The number of carbon atoms in the chain

According to fewest carbon atoms, what are the first 4 alkanes (in order)?

-Methane, Ethan, Propane, Butane.

What is the molecular formula for methane?


Use the alkane formula to find out the molecular formula for ethane?


What are the 3 different ways of showing the layout of alkanes?

-Molecular formula

-Structural formula

-Ball-and-stick representation

Draw a structural formula for ethane?


When alkanes burn, what do they produce?

-Carbon dioxide and water

In what conditions do alkanes burn better?

-Surplus of oxygen

What is the scientific name given to the process of burning alkanes?


Write a word equation for the burning (combustion) of alkanes.

-Alkane + Oxygen à Carbon dioxide + Water

Write a balanced symbol equation for the combustion (burning) of ethane. Include state symbols.

-CH(4) (g) +2O(2) (g) à 2H(2)O (l) + CO(2) (g)

What are the 4 state symbols and what do they stand for?

-(l) – Liquid

-(g) – Gas

-(s) – Solid

-(aq) – Aqueous

How inert are alkanes? Why?

-Not very inert

-They don’t react with most chemicals

Name a substance that alkanes do not react with?

-Aqueous reagents (substances dissolved in water)

Why do alkanes not react?

-The C-C bonds and C-H bonds on them are unreactive.

What is the useful thing about knowing the names of alkanes?

-The names of the alkanes inform you about the structure.

What is the functional group for alcohol?


What is the general formula for an alcohol?


What are the first two alcohols?

-Methanol and ethanol

What is the molecular formula for methanol and ethanol?



Why does the functional group of alcohols mean about their properties?

-They are similar

Why do you write CH(3)OH instead of CH(4)O?

-It doesn’t show the functional group, which determines that it is an alcohol.

Give one difference between ethanol and alkanes.

-Ethanol is soluble in water, alkanes are insoluble in water.

Give one similarity between ethanol and water.

-Ethanol and water are both good solvents.

Compare the boiling points between ethanol and water.

-Ethanol’s boiling point (78°C) is lower than water’s boiling point (100°C)

Compare the boiling points between ethanol and alkanes?

-Ethanol’s boiling point is much higher than alkanes (ethane is -103°C)

What state of matter is ethanol at room temperature?


What physical property/response does ethanol do at room temperature? What term is given to this action?

-Evaporates easily and gives off its fumes.


What is the main difference between ethanol and ‘methane+ethane’, despite both being volatile?

-Methane and ethane are both gases at room temperature; ethanol is liquid.

What are alcohols…


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