Crude oil contains many alkanes. The table shows information about some alkanes.
| Alkane | Formula | Boiling point / °C |
|---|---|---|
| methane | CH4\mathrm{CH_{4}}CH4 | −162 |
| ethane | C2H6\mathrm{C_{2}H_{6}}C2H6 | −89 |
| propane | C3H8\mathrm{C_{3}H_{8}}C3H8 | −42 |
| butane | C4H10\mathrm{C_{4}H_{10}}C4H10 | −1 |
| pentane | C5H12\mathrm{C_{5}H_{12}}C5H12 | 36 |
| hexane | C6H14\mathrm{C_{6}H_{14}}C6H14 | ? |
Use the formulae in the table to give the general formula of the alkanes.
An alkane in bitumen has 30 carbon atoms in each molecule. Give its formula.
Predict the boiling point of hexane.
State how the formula of each alkane in the table differs from the formula of the next alkane.
Butane, C4H10\mathrm{C_{4}H_{10}}C4H10, and but-1-ene, C4H8\mathrm{C_{4}H_{8}}C4H8, are both hydrocarbons with four carbon atoms in each molecule.
Compare butane and but-1-ene. You should refer to their structures, their reactions with bromine water and their combustion.
36 exam-style questions on Edexcel GCSE Chemistry 10.2 Hydrocarbons, covering 10.2.1 Formulae and structures of the alkanes, 10.2.2 Alkenes and the C=C functional group, 10.2.3 Addition reactions of alkenes and testing for unsaturation, and 10.2.4 Combustion of alkanes and alkenes. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.