Question

In a saturated hydrocarbon, what are all the bonds?

Answer 1

All the bonds are single bonds.

Explanation:

In a saturated hydrocarbon there is no more room for more hydrogens. In an unsaturated hydrocarbon there are double bonds between the carbons. These double bonds can be broken making it possible to bond two more hydrogen atoms for each double bond broken.

So in a saturated hydrocarbon all of the double bonds have been turned into single bonds.

Answer 2

Well, not all the bonds are identical... but a saturated hydrocarbon has `"C"-"C"` and `"C"-"H"` single bonds, and general chemical formula `C_(n)H_(2n+2)`.

• Saturated just means no multiple-bonds (double, triple, . . . ), and no ring formation.
• "Hydrocarbon" indicates a compound with hydrogen and carbon.

Examples are methane, ethane, propane, butane, . . . , or any basic alkane, really, with the suffix "-ane" and any of the following prefixes:

• meth- = 1 carbon in the backbone, i.e. `CH_4`
• eth- = 2 carbons in the backbone, i.e. `C_2H_6`
• prop- = 3 carbons in the backbone, i.e. `C_3H_8`
• but- = 4 carbons in the backbone, i.e. `C_4H_10`
• pent- = 5 carbons in the backbone, i.e. `C_5H_12`
• hex- = 6 carbons in the backbone, i.e. `C_6H_14`
• hept- = 7 carbons in the backbone, i.e. `C_7H_16`
• oct- = 8 carbons in the backbone, i.e. `C_8H_18`
• non- = 9 carbons in the backbone, i.e. `C_9H_20`
• dec- = 10 carbons in the backbone, i.e. `C_10H_22`
• undec- = 11 carbons in the backbone, i.e. `C_11H_24`
• dodec- = 12 carbons in the backbone, i.e. `C_12H_26`

etc.