(b) Explain the meaning of saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons with two examples each.
Solution:
(a) A hydrocarbon is a compound composed entirely of hydrogen and carbon. Methane (CH4), ethane (C2H6), ethene (C2H4), and ethyne (C2H2), for example, are all hydrocarbons since they only contain two elements: carbon and hydrogen.
(b) Saturated hydrocarbons, commonly known as alkanes, are those in which the carbon atoms are linked by single bonds. Methane and ethane are two examples.
Unsaturated hydrocarbons are those with a double or triple bond between the two carbon atoms.
Ethene and ethyne are two examples.