QUESTIONS ON HYDROCARBONS

1. The hydrocarbons methane (CH4), butane (C4H10) and octane are members of the same
homologous series.
a) What is meant by the word ‘hydrocarbon’?
………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………….
b) Name a raw material rich in hydrocarbons ……………………………………..
c) Give the name of the homologous series to which these three compounds
belong. …………………………………………
d) State two general characteristics of any homologous series.
…………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………
e) There are eight carbon atoms in a molecule of octane. How many hydrogen
atoms are there in the molecule? ………………………
2. Some hydrocarbons exhibit isomerism.
a) What is meant by the term ‘isomerism’?
…………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………….
b) Draw the structural formulae for the two isomers of butane.

c) Draw the structural formulae for the three isomers of pentane.

3. Ethene (C2H4) and propene (C3H6) are members of a different homologous series called
the alkenes. These compounds are said to be unsaturated.
a) What is meant by the term ‘unsaturated’? ……………………………………….
……………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………
b) Draw the structural formulae of ethane and propene.

1
 c) There is a simple test you can do in the lab to distinguish between unsaturated
compounds like ethane and saturated compounds like ethane.
i) Give the name of the reagent you would use to do the test.
………………….……………………………………………
ii) Describe carefully what you would see when ethene is shaken with
this reagent.
………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………….
iii) Describe carefully what you would see when ethane is shaken with
this reagent.
……………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………
d) Write a symbol equation for the reaction between ethane and the reagent.
……………………………………………………………………………………
4. The compound buta-1,3-diene is produced by cracking some of the fractions of crude oil.
Buta-1,3-diene has the structure CH2=CH-CH=CH2 and it boils at –5oC
a) Describe what is meant by ‘cracking’…………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………………..
b) What conditions are needed for cracking to take place? ……………………………...
……………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
c) i) Write down the molecular formula of buta-1,3-diene ……………………………...
ii) Write down the empirical formula of buta-1,3-diene ………………………………
d) Some buta-1,3-diene gas is bubbled through a solution of bromine in an inert solvent.
There is only one product of the reaction between the gas and the bromine
i) Draw the full structural formula of the product.

ii) Write a balanced chemical equation for the reaction.

…………………………………………………………………………………………….
iii) What type of reaction has taken place?
…………………………………………………………………………………………….