Alkenes containĀ a carbon-carbon double bond which changes the physical properties of alkenes. Alkenes are unsaturated carbon compounds which have a general formula of \(C_nH_{2n}\). These compounds are also known as olefins.
Alkenes are a family of compounds containing hydrogen and carbon only (hydrocarbons) with a carbon-carbon double bond. Ethene and Propene are the first two hydrocarbons.

Physical Properties of Alkenes
1. Physical State
- These double-bonded compounds are colourless and odourless in nature.
- However, ethene is an exception because it is a colourless gas but has a faintly sweet odour.
- The first three members of the alkene group are gaseous in nature, the next fourteen members are liquids and the remaining alkenes are solids.
2. Solubility
- The alkenes are insoluble in water due to their nonpolar characteristics.
- But are completely soluble in nonpolar solvents such as benzene, ligroin, etc.
3. Boiling Point
- The boiling points of the compounds increase as the number of carbon atoms in the compound increases.
- When alkenes are compared with alkanes, it is found that the boiling points of both are almost similar, as if the compounds are made up of the same carbon skeleton.
- The boiling point of straight-chain alkenes is more that branched-chain alkenes just as in alkanes.
4.Ā Melting Point
- The melting points of these double-bonded compounds depend upon the positioning of the molecules.
- The melting point of alkenes is similar to that of alkanes.
- However, cis-isomer molecules have a lower melting point than trans- isomers as the molecules are packed in a U-bending shape.
5. Polarity
- Alkenes are weakly polar just like alkanes but are slightly more reactive than alkanes due to the presence of double bonds.
- The Ļ electrons which make up the double bonds can easily be removed or added as they are weakly held.
- Hence, the dipole moments exhibited by alkenes are more than alkanes.
- The polarity depends upon the functional group attached to the compounds and the chemical structures.
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