Question

In a molecule of saturated hydrocarbon the number of $\mathrm{H}$ atoms is 16. What is the number of $\mathrm{C}$ atoms and what is the name of this molecule?

Answer 1

Step 1:

Alkane is a saturated hydrocarbon that has Carbon-Carbon and Carbon-Hydrogen atoms that are only connected through single bonds.

The general formula of an alkane is $\left({\mathrm{C}}_{\mathrm{n}}{\mathrm{H}}_{2\mathrm{n}+2}\right)$.

Where, $\mathrm{n}$ is the number of Carbon atoms in alkane compound and,

$2\mathrm{n}+2$ tells about the number of Hydrogen atoms in an alkane compound.

Step 2:

The number of the Hydrogen $\left(\mathrm{H}\right)$ atom is 16 so, $2\mathrm{n}+2=16$.

Calculate the value of $\mathrm{n}$:

$$\begin{gathered} 2\mathrm{n}+2=16 \\ 2\mathrm{n}=16-2 \\ \mathrm{n}=\frac{14}{2} \\ \mathrm{n}=7 \end{gathered}$$

Hence, the value of $\mathrm{n}=7$. So, the number of Carbon atoms is 7.

Therefore, the name of this molecule is Heptane $\left({\mathrm{C}}_7{\mathrm{H}}_{16}\right)$.