Question

The molecules of the alkene family are represented by the genral formula ${\mathrm{C}}_{\mathrm{n}}{\mathrm{H}}_{2\mathrm{n}}$. What is the molecular formula of the first member of the alkene family?

Answer 1

The organic compounds consisting of Carbon ($\mathrm{C}$) and Hydrogen ($\mathrm{H}$) atoms are known as hydrocarbons.

Hydrocarbons are of two types depending on the kind of bonds formed between Carbon-Carbon atoms, saturated hydrocarbons, and unsaturated hydrocarbons

The organic compounds containing Carbon atoms having triple or double bonds between two Carbon atoms are called unsaturated hydrocarbons.

Alkenes contain double bonds between the Carbon atoms so it is an unsaturated hydrocarbon.

The molecules of the alkene family are represented by the general formula $\left({\mathrm{C}}_{\mathrm{n}}{\mathrm{H}}_{2\mathrm{n}}\right)$.

The number of Carbon atoms is represented by $\left(\mathrm{n}\right)$ and $\left(2\mathrm{n}\right)$ represents the number of Hydrogen atoms in a molecule of alkene.

The lowest value of $\left(\mathrm{n}\right)$ is two which corresponds to Ethene $\left({\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_4\right)$ having the value of $\left(2\mathrm{n}\right)$ is four.

The molecular formula of the first member of the alkene family is Ethene $\left({\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_4\right)$.