Alkanes are non-polar in nature and hence dissolve in non -polar solvents like Carbon tetrachloride.
What are alkanes?
Alkanes, or saturated hydrocarbons, contain only single covalent bonds between carbon atoms. All alkanes are composed of carbon and hydrogen atoms and have similar bonds, structures, and formulas; non-cyclic alkanes all have a formula of CnH2n+2.
- Alkanes are less dense than water (alkanes float on top of the water).
- The melting and boiling points of the shorter chain alkanes are low, but the melting and boiling of alkanes increase as the number of carbon atoms in the carbon chain increases.
- Alkanes combust (react rapidly with oxygen), releasing energy, which makes alkanes useful as fuels.
