C7: Crude oil, hydrocarbons, and alkanes

is crude oil finite or infinite?

finite

where is crude oil found?

in rocks

what is crude oil?

the remains of an ancient biomass consisting mainly of plankton that was buried in mud

what is crude oil a mixture of?

hydrocarbons

what are hydrocarbons?

molecules made up of hydrogen and carbon atoms only

what is the type of most of the hydrocarbons in crude oil?

alkanes

what is an alkane?

a saturated (single bonds only) hydrocarbon

what is a homologous series?

a group of organic compounds that react in a similar way

what is the general formula for the homologous series of alkanes?

CnH2n+2

how many bonds can each carbon atom form in an alkane?

4

what are the first four alkanes?

methane, ethane, propane, butane