IGCSE chemistry section 3

alkanes and alkenes

Alkanes and alkenes are two groups of organic compounds obtained from crude oil or petroleum.
a. What is crude oil?
b. How has crude oil been formed?
c. Why is crude oil important for us?

1. Making models of alkanes

Write the heading Alkanes. Alkanes are hydrocarbons. Write down what you think a hydrocarbon is.
An alkane is a hydrocarbon with single covalent bonds only. Make the 4 smallest alkane molecules
(the smallest has 1 carbon atom in it; the second smallest has two carbon atoms in it and so on) by
following these rules:
Each carbon atom (black) makes 4 single covalent bonds with 4 different atoms.
Each hydrogen atom makes 1 single covalent bond.
Only make straight-chained molecules no rings/circles/cubes.
Complete the following tasks in your class book
a. For each molecule that you have made draw the structure using the symbol of the element and a line
for a covalent bond. What you have drawn is called the displayed formula.
b. Next to each molecule write the molecular formula in the format CxHy.
c. Ignoring the smallest molecule, can you identify the pattern between the number of carbon atoms
and the number of hydrogen atoms? Try to write your pattern using this format again CxHy this is
the general formula for the alkanes
d. Use that pattern to write the formula for the alkane with 15 carbon atoms.

2. Naming alkanes
You will need to name each of the compounds that you have drawn by using the following rules:
The names of all alkanes end with ane
The first part of the name tells us the number of carbon atoms
meth- 1 carbon atom
but4 carbon atom
eth2 carbon atom
pent5 carbon atom
prop3 carbon atom
Write the names of each of the 5 compounds next to their molecular formula.

3. Trends in physical properties of alkanes

a. All hydrocarbons have a simple molecular structure. What does that tell you about their melting and
boiling points? Find the state of matter of the 5 shortest members of the alkanes; make a table.

alkane
methane
ethane
propane
butane
pentane
hexane
heptane
nonane

number of
carbon atoms
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
9

boiling point
(K)
110
185
230
275
310
340
370
425

alkane

viscosity

pentane

0.24

hexane

0.40

heptane

0.52

octane

0.70

decane

0.92

b. Using the data in the table on the right to draw a graph with the number of carbons on the x-axis and
boiling point on the y-axis. You can do on a piece of graph paper or use Excel (but print it out).

c. Describe the trend between the number of carbon atoms and the boiling point.
d. Using your graph, predict the boiling point of octane.
e. The table on the right shows the relationship between some alkanes and their viscosity. Viscosity
indicates how runny a substance is; the higher the value the stickier or less runny it is.
(i) What is the relationship between number of carbon atoms and viscosity?
(ii) Why are there no values for methane, ethane, propane and butane?
f. Find out what happens to the colour of alkanes as the number of carbon atoms increases.

5. Isomerism
a. Write the heading Isomerism and draw the displayed structure of butane again.
b. Now see if you can rearrange the molecule using all atoms whilst ensuring you stick to the rules.
When you have completed the new rearrangement, draw its displayed formula. One of the displayed
formula must be a branched alkane. Write branched alkane underneath the correct one.
c. What do both displayed formula have in common? How are they different?
d. What you have drawn are two isomers.
(i) What does iso mean?
(ii) What are isomers?
e. How many isomers can you draw for pentane? hexane (hex- = 6 carbon atoms)?

6. Making models of alkenes

Write the heading Alkene. An alkene is a hydrocarbon with at least 1 double covalent bond between 2
carbon atoms. Make the 3 smallest alkenes molecules remembering that each molecule must have 1
double bond between 2 carbon atoms. Otherwise the same rules apply as with the alkanes.
Complete the following tasks in your class book
a. For each molecule that you have made draw the displayed structure using the symbol of the element
and a line for a covalent bond.
b. Next to each molecule write the molecular formula in the format CxHy.
c. Can you identify the pattern between the number of carbon atoms and the number of hydrogen
atoms? Try to write your pattern using this format again CxHy.
d. Use that pattern to write the molecular formula for the alkene with 6 carbon atoms.
e. Can you draw an isomer for the alkene with 4 carbon atoms?

7. Naming alkenes
You will need to name each of the compounds that you have drawn. Names of alkenes end with ene
and for the first part of the name we use the same rules as with alkanes. In fact we use the same rule
for all organic compounds.

8. Saturated and unsaturated

Alkanes are called saturated compounds and alkenes are called unsaturated compounds.
a. Can you suggest what the terms saturated and unsaturated refer to?
b. Which type, saturated or unsaturated will be the more reactive type? Give a reason for your answer.