Question

What are the main sources of alkanes and why they are known as saturated hydrocarbons?

Answer 1

Alkanes are obtained mainly from petroleum and natural gas. All four valencies of each carbon atom of the alkane molecule are bonded with either hydrogen atoms, carbon atoms or both by single covalent bonds, indicating that each carbon skeleton of an alkane is fully saturated. Hence, alkanes are known as saturated hydrocarbons.