methane
ethane
propane
The great variety of carbon compounds is due to the fact that carbon atoms can bond to each other in chains. The simplest classes of carbon compounds are known as hydrocarbons because they only contain carbon and hydrogen.
Three examples of the class of hydrocarbons are known as alkanes are shown.
Three examples of the class of hydrocarbons are known as alkanes are shown.
Each hydrogen in these hydrocarbons is bonded to one other atom.
This is consistent with hydrogen atoms having a single electron.
Each carbon atom is involved in four other bonds.
This is consistent with carbon (from Group having four electrons available for bonding.
This is consistent with hydrogen atoms having a single electron.
Each carbon atom is involved in four other bonds.
This is consistent with carbon (from Group having four electrons available for bonding.
Each bond in the hydrocarbons is a covalent bond because the the bonded atoms are non-metallic.
In covalent bonds, the bonding electrons are shared between the two atoms.
Each bond in methane, ethane and propane is referred to as a single bond because two electrons are shared between the bonded atoms.For a C-H bond, one of the electrons shared comes from H and the other from C.
For a C-C bond, one of the electrons shared comes from one carbon and the second from the other carbon.
Single bonds are represented as shown by drawing a line between the bonded atoms.
For a C-C bond, one of the electrons shared comes from one carbon and the second from the other carbon.
Single bonds are represented as shown by drawing a line between the bonded atoms.