Hydrocarbons
- This are the compounds which are composed of Hydrogen and Carbon. Each carbon atoms has four bonds. They can be saturated (single bond), unsaturated (double or triple bond), acyclic (without rings) and cyclic (with rings). Alkanes, alkenes, amd alkyne-based compounds are different types of hydrocarbons.
Alkanes
- Alkanes are the hydrocarbon of aliphatic row.
- Hydrocarbon in which all the bonds are single covalent bonds.
- They are called saturated hydrocarbon.
- The first four are gases, next thirteen are gases and the higher are solids.
Benefits- Methane (natural gas)
- Butane lighters
- Automotive and industrial lubricants
- Vaseline (also a lubricant)
- Commercial Gasoline (petrol)
- Other Fuels (propane tanks)
- Tar(used in asphalt)
- Candle wax
Risks
- Greenhouse effect - Burning fossil fuels produces carbon dioxide, a major contributor to the greenhouse effect.
- Pollution - Hydrocarbon fields originally came from living matter and as living matter CONTAINS amino acids, all of the elements present in amino acids must also be present in the hydrocarbon mixtures found in crude oil. One of these elements is sulfur. This burns when fuels burn producing sulfur dioxide, a poisonous gas responsible for acid rain.
- Health hazards - These usually use hydrocarbons as fuel. Petrol engines burn isomers of octane, C8H18, with many additives designed to increase flow efficiency, burning, engine lubrication, etc.
- Invariably, the sparks that ignite the petrol air mixtures also cause combination between nitrogen and oxygen in the air producing oxides of nitrogen, NOx, which are a pollutant health hazard as well as unburnt hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide gas, both of which are health hazards.
- Asphyxiation, potential carcinogen, flammable, potential explosion hazard.
Alkenes - They contain at least 1 double covalent bonds.
- They are called unsaturated hydrocarbon.
- The first three are gases, next fourteen are liquids and higher are solids.
- It has two hydrogen atoms less than the corresponding alkene. Alkenes are relatively stable compounds, but are more reactive than alkanes due to the presence of a carbon–carbon pi-bond.
Benefits
- Crude oil.
- Extremely important in the manufacture of plastics.
- Fuel and illuminant.
- Alcohols, aldehydes, and etc.
Risks
- Also used for artificial ripening of fruits, as a general anesthetic, for making poisonous mustard gas (War gas) and ethylene-oxygen flame.
- Greenhouse Gases.
Alkynes- They contain one least one triple bond.
- They are called unsaturated hydrocarbon.
- The first three are gases, next eight are liquids and higher are solids
Benefits
- Fuel for the high-temperature flame.
- Welding torches.
- Starting material for acetic acid and many polymers,
- chlorinated acetylene (organic solvent).
Risks
- Used to make poison-tipped arrows,
- Highly toxic alkyne found in the leaves of a Brazilian herb.
- Extremely toxic to cells.
