Alkane

An alkane is a saturated acyclic hydrocarbon whose carbon atoms are joined only by single bonds. Unbranched alkanes follow the formula CₙH₂ₙ₊₂.

Hydrocarbon: An organic compound composed only of carbon and hydrogen atoms. Alkanes are the saturated, acyclic members of this broad chemical family.
sp³ hybridization: The mixing of one s and three p atomic orbitals to form four equivalent hybrid orbitals. Carbon uses sp³ orbitals to form the four sigma bonds found in alkanes.
Natural gas: A naturally occurring gas mixture composed mainly of methane. Methane, the simplest alkane, is the principal combustible component of natural gas.
Alkene: An acyclic hydrocarbon containing at least one carbon–carbon double bond. An alkene's carbon–carbon double bond distinguishes it from a saturated alkane.
Covalent bond: A chemical bond formed when atoms share electron pairs. Single covalent bonds connect carbon atoms in an alkane's carbon skeleton.
Sigma bond: A covalent bond formed by orbitals overlapping along the line between two nuclei. Every carbon–carbon and carbon–hydrogen bond in an alkane is a sigma bond.
Liquefied petroleum gas: A pressurized fuel consisting mainly of propane and butane. These low-mass alkanes are stored as liquids for transport and domestic fuel use.
Alkyne: An acyclic hydrocarbon containing at least one carbon–carbon triple bond. The triple bond makes alkynes unsaturated, unlike alkanes.
Tetrahedral molecular geometry: A molecular shape with four bonds directed toward the corners of a tetrahedron. Each carbon atom in an alkane typically has four tetrahedrally arranged bonds.
Conformational isomerism: The existence of different molecular arrangements produced by rotation around single bonds. Rotation around alkane carbon–carbon bonds creates distinct conformations without breaking bonds.

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