Alkanes are also known as ?

Alkanes are a class of hydrocarbons that contain only single bonds between carbon atoms. They are called paraffins, which comes from Latin words “parum” meaning little and “affinis” meaning affinity, indicating that these compounds are relatively inert or unreactive. This is because the carbon–carbon and carbon–hydrogen bonds in alkanes are strong and non-polar, making them chemically stable under normal conditions.

Alkanes are also saturated hydrocarbons because each carbon atom forms single bonds with other carbon atoms and hydrogen atoms, and there are no double or triple bonds in the molecule. Examples include methane (CH₄), ethane (C₂H₆), propane (C₃H₈), and butane (C₄H₁₀). They are found in natural sources like natural gas, crude oil, and petroleum products.

Alkanes have a general formula CₙH₂ₙ₊₂, where n is the number of carbon atoms. Their physical properties, such as boiling and melting points, increase with the length of the carbon chain. They are typically less dense than water and insoluble in water, but soluble in non-polar solvents like hexane or benzene.

The term paraffin highlights their low chemical reactivity, but under special conditions, alkanes can undergo reactions such as combustion, halogenation, and cracking. These reactions are important in fuel production, chemical synthesis, and industrial applications.