Lecture 8 – Alkanes Overview

These flashcards cover key vocabulary related to alkanes, including definitions of terms and concepts important for understanding their structure, properties, and reactions.

Alkanes

Compounds composed only of carbons and hydrogens with only single bonds.

Isomer

Compounds that have the same molecular formula but different structural arrangements.

Structural isomers

Isomers that differ in the connectivity of their atoms.

Cycloalkanes

Alkanes that are arranged in a ring structure.

London dispersion forces

Weak intermolecular forces caused by temporary dipoles in molecules.

Branched alkanes

Alkanes that have side chains or branches in their structure.

Combustion reaction

A chemical reaction in which an alkane reacts with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and water.

Deactivation energy

The energy required to start a reaction, such as breaking the C-H bonds in alkanes.

Conformation

The spatial arrangement of atoms in a molecule that can change through rotation around bonds.

Dihedral angle

The angle between two planes formed by four atoms in a molecule.