An open letter about Hydrocarbons

You might be wondering how hydrocarbons are classified and their formulas, and talk
about its uses and importance in any aspect.

Hydrocarbon, any of a class of organic chemical compounds composed only of the

elements carbon (C) and hydrogen (H). The carbon atoms join together to form the
framework of the compound, and the hydrogen atoms attach to them in many
different configurations. Hydrocarbons are the
principal constituents of petroleum and natural gas. They serve as fuels and lubricants
as well as raw materials for the production of plastics, fibres, rubbers,
solvents, explosives, and industrial chemicals.
They are divided into four: Aromatic, alkynes, alkenes, alkanes

Nineteenth-century chemists classified hydrocarbons as

either aliphatic or aromatic on the basis of their sources and properties. Aliphatic
(from Greek aleiphar, “fat”) described hydrocarbons derived by
chemical degradation of fats or oils. Aromatic hydrocarbons constituted a group of
related substances obtained by chemical degradation of certain pleasant-smelling
plant extracts. The terms aliphatic and aromatic are retained in modern terminology,
but the compounds they describe are distinguished on the basis of structure rather
than origin.

Different compounds that have the same molecular formula are called isomers.
Isomers that differ in the order in which the atoms are connected are said to have
different constitutions and are referred to as constitutional isomers. (An older name is
structural isomers.) The compounds n-butane and isobutane
are constitutional isomers and are the only ones possible for the formula C4H10.
Because isomers are different compounds, they can have different physical and
chemical properties.
Some importance of hydrocarbons in our planet:
Oil reserves in sedimentary rocks are the source of hydrocarbons for the energy, transport and
petrochemical industries. Economically important hydrocarbons include fossil fuels such as coal,
petroleum and natural gas, and its derivatives such as plastics, paraffin, waxes, solvents and oils.

The greatest amounts of hydrocarbons are used as fuel for combustion, particularly in heating and motor
fuel applications. The primary components of natural gas are methane and ethane.

Submitted by: Caintic, Sean Patrick

Gr. & Sec.: 9 – St. Benedict