Unit 28 – P1, M1, P2 + D1 – Applied Science
P2 - describe the physical and chemical propertes of industrially important hydrocarbons:
D1 - analyse the types of reactons undergone by diferent classes of hydrocarbons, in
terms of the bonding in the hydrocarbons
There are diferent types of bonding present in diferent compounds which give them their
properties and useful characteristics. If the compound doesn’t have anything apart from carbon and
hydrogen, then it is called a hydrocarbon.
Alkanes:
These are saturated and they tend to only have single bonds present between the carbons in the
hydrocarbon chain. They are covalently bonded.
EXAMPLE OF AN OCTANE
This is hydrocarbon alkane because it only has carbon and hydrogen which are all bonded with single
bonds. Something which is not going to be a hydrocarbon alkane is 1-chloropropane. The reason for
this is because it contains chlorine which is an element other than carbon and hydrogen making it
just an alkane and not a hydrocarbon alkane.
A general formula for alkanes would be C nH2n+2.
In this formula the leter n’ represents the number of carbons in each compound molecule. There
are diferent types of alkanes, there are linear, branched and there are also cyclic alkanes. Linear
alkanes tend to be straight and they also tend to not have any branches, however, diferent
compounds could be isomers of the other types of alkanes. For examples, some of the linear alkanes
could be isomers of branched alkanes. The way in which single bonds are represented is by using
one line between each carbon molecule and hydrogen molecules. Alkanes tend to also form
homologous series of compounds. Alkanes are also not very reactive and they tend to have a very
low biological activity.
An example of an alkane would be a 2-methylpropane with the structure which can be seen below;
The frst 4 alkanes which are methane, ethane, propane and butane have their boiling points at
room temperature making them gases below room temperature.
P2 - describe the physical and chemical propertes of industrially important hydrocarbons:
D1 - analyse the types of reactons undergone by diferent classes of hydrocarbons, in
terms of the bonding in the hydrocarbons
There are diferent types of bonding present in diferent compounds which give them their
properties and useful characteristics. If the compound doesn’t have anything apart from carbon and
hydrogen, then it is called a hydrocarbon.
Alkanes:
These are saturated and they tend to only have single bonds present between the carbons in the
hydrocarbon chain. They are covalently bonded.
EXAMPLE OF AN OCTANE
This is hydrocarbon alkane because it only has carbon and hydrogen which are all bonded with single
bonds. Something which is not going to be a hydrocarbon alkane is 1-chloropropane. The reason for
this is because it contains chlorine which is an element other than carbon and hydrogen making it
just an alkane and not a hydrocarbon alkane.
A general formula for alkanes would be C nH2n+2.
In this formula the leter n’ represents the number of carbons in each compound molecule. There
are diferent types of alkanes, there are linear, branched and there are also cyclic alkanes. Linear
alkanes tend to be straight and they also tend to not have any branches, however, diferent
compounds could be isomers of the other types of alkanes. For examples, some of the linear alkanes
could be isomers of branched alkanes. The way in which single bonds are represented is by using
one line between each carbon molecule and hydrogen molecules. Alkanes tend to also form
homologous series of compounds. Alkanes are also not very reactive and they tend to have a very
low biological activity.
An example of an alkane would be a 2-methylpropane with the structure which can be seen below;
The frst 4 alkanes which are methane, ethane, propane and butane have their boiling points at
room temperature making them gases below room temperature.
