Organic Chemistry

What is crude oil?

Oil produced from the effects of heat and pressure on dead animal/plant matter trapped in the Earth’s crust over millions of years.

What are hydrocarbons?

Compounds formed from only hydrogen and carbon atoms, found in crude oil.

What are alkanes?

A series of saturated hydrocarbons containing only single bonds.

What is a homologous series?

A group of molecules in which each member has one more CH2 unit than the last.

Characteristics of members of a homologous series?

Similar structure and chemical properties, pattern of physical properties, same general formula.

What are structural isomers?

Molecules with the same molecular formula but different arrangements of atoms.

How does melting/boiling point change as alkanes become larger?

Increases due to more forces between molecules.

Why do the melting/boiling points of structural isomers vary?

Different structures have varying forces of attraction holding them together.

4 steps for naming alkanes

Identify longest C chain

Number C atoms

Identify type, position and number of alkyl groups

Write alkyl groups, then prefix + ‘ane’.

Rules for naming alkanes.

Number C atoms so the branches have the lowest numbers

If multiple different alkyl groups, write in alphabetical order

If multiple identical alkyl groups, use prefixes (di, tri)

Separate numbers with commas and number and letters with dashes