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Saturated Hydrocarbon

A saturated hydrocarbon is a hydrocarbon in which all the carbon-carbon bonds are single bonds.

In one line: Only single bonds means saturated.

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Understand it

Saturated hydrocarbons are called alkanes in the open-chain series. Because they contain only single bonds between carbon atoms, they are less reactive than unsaturated hydrocarbons in many simple addition reactions. This is why they are often used as fuels.

Example

Propane, C3H8, is a saturated hydrocarbon because it has only single carbon-carbon bonds.

Rule to remember

For open-chain saturated hydrocarbons, the general formula is CnH2n+2.

The key condition is the presence of only single C-C bonds.

See it worked out

Follow the example line by line, then use the same method on new questions.

Worked example

  1. 1C4H10 has four carbon atoms and ten hydrogen atoms.
  2. 2Its carbon atoms are connected by single bonds only, so it is a saturated hydrocarbon such as butane.

Method you can reuse

  1. 1Inspect the carbon-carbon bonds.
  2. 2Check whether any double or triple bond is present.
  3. 3If only single bonds are present, classify it as saturated.
  4. 4If needed, compare with the general formula.

Sketch it in your answer

Draw propane or butane with only single bonds between the carbon atoms.

Check yourself

Answer the question in your head before opening the answer.

Try it yourself

How can you identify a saturated hydrocarbon from its carbon skeleton?

Think first, then show answer
A saturated hydrocarbon has only single carbon-carbon bonds. If no double or triple bond is present, the compound is saturated.

Common wrong answer

A common wrong answer is to call C3H6 saturated because it has many hydrogens.

Why it loses marks: Bond type matters more than just the hydrogen count.

Don't mix this up

Students sometimes look only at the number of hydrogen atoms and ignore the bond type between carbon atoms.

Exam tip

If a hydrocarbon has only single C-C bonds, it is saturated even before you check its family name.

Write it in the exam

Each point is worth about one mark. Write point 1 for a 1-mark question and keep adding points as the marks go up.

How CBSE asks it

Questions may ask you to identify a compound from its formula, from its structure, or from its reaction with bromine water.
  1. 1

    Enough for 1 mark

    A saturated hydrocarbon is a hydrocarbon in which all the carbon-carbon bonds are single bonds.

  2. 2

    Add for 2 marks

    Saturated hydrocarbons are called alkanes in the open-chain series.

  3. 3

    Add for 3 marks

    Because they contain only single bonds between carbon atoms, they are less reactive than unsaturated hydrocarbons in many simple addition reactions.

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