A hydrocarbon is an organic compound consisting of hydrogen and carbon as the name itself suggests.
Saturated hydrocarbons are those which have only single covalent bond between adjacent carbon. Example- Methane or CH4.
General formula- CnH2n+2(Alkane)
H
|
H-C-H
|
H
Unsaturated hydrocarbons are those which have double or triple covalent bond between adjacent carbon atoms. Example- Ethene and Ethyne
General formula- CnH2n(Alkene)
-CnHn (alkyne)
H H.
| |.
H-C=C-H.
An unsaturated carbon can be made saturated through addition reaction.Hydrogen is added to them in the presence of nickel/palladium catalyst.