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Why are hydrocarbons written with the carbon first (CH4) instead of the hydrogen first (H4C)?
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+ Chemistry
+ Hydrocarbons
+ Organic chemistry
+ Hydrogen
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Alan Jia
Why are hydrocarbons written with the carbon first (CH4) instead of the hydrogen first (H4C)?
As your first answer has stated they are called silanes. But unlike hydrocarbons, they are very limited in chain length. Hydrocarbon molecules seem to be not limited in size at all, you can make them about as large as you want. Silane molecules with more than twenty silicon atoms in a row are essentially unknown.
They are also pyrophoric. If mixed with air, they spontaneously combust. (I have witnessed this many times.)
As your first answer has stated they are called silanes. But unlike hydrocarbons, they are very limited in chain length. Hydrocarbon molecules seem to be not limited in size at all, you can make them about as large as you want. Silane molecules with more than twenty silicon atoms in a row are essentially unknown.
They are also pyrophoric. If mixed with air, they spontaneously combust. (I have witnessed this many times.)
H2 itself cannot be considered a hydrocarbon, since, well, it has no carbon.
On the other hand, almost all hydrogen gas currently produced is made by steam reforming natural gas, and thus is made *from* a hydrocarbon. This means that current sources of hydrogen gas are not carbon free, and do depend ultimately on hydrocarbons as a source.
There *are* other ways to produce hydrogen (electrolysis of water, for example), some of which don’t produce any carbon, but compared with steam reforming natural gas, they’re mostly not economical at this time.
H2 itself cannot be considered a hydrocarbon, since, well, it has no carbon.
On the other hand, almost all hydrogen gas currently produced is made by steam reforming natural gas, and thus is made *from* a hydrocarbon. This means that current sources of hydrogen gas are not carbon free, and do depend ultimately on hydrocarbons as a source.
There *are* other ways to produce hydrogen (electrolysis of water, for example), some of which don’t produce any carbon, but compared with steam reforming natural gas, they’re mostly not economical at this time.
It’s more useful to sequence carbon compounds by structure, for instance writing acetaldehyde as CH3CHO and acetic acid as CH3COOH is more informative than H4C2O and H4C2O2
It’s more useful to sequence carbon compounds by structure, for instance writing acetaldehyde as CH3CHO and acetic acid as CH3COOH is more informative than H4C2O and H4C2O2
Nothing. The hydrogen would like to combust but can’t without an oxidizer. The oxygen in carbon dioxide is firmly bound (it already oxidized the carbon and has no interest in the hydrogen). And of course the carbon is quite happy to have two oxygen “wives”.
Nothing. The hydrogen would like to combust but can’t without an oxidizer. The oxygen in carbon dioxide is firmly bound (it already oxidized the carbon and has no interest in the hydrogen). And of course the carbon is quite happy to have two oxygen “wives”.
Answer is yes. This category of compound is called hydrocarbons. Since you can make chains as long as you wish, or having ramifications, double, or triple bonds, be cyclic or not. You have an infinite number of combinations.
The ones you know best are the petrol/gas you put in your car, which has eight carbon, and propane or butane, you use for your barbecue, having 3 and 4 carbon atomes respectively.
Answer is yes. This category of compound is called hydrocarbons. Since you can make chains as long as you wish, or having ramifications, double, or triple bonds, be cyclic or not. You have an infinite number of combinations.
The ones you know best are the petrol/gas you put in your car, which has eight carbon, and propane or butane, you use for your barbecue, having 3 and 4 carbon atomes respectively.
As your first answer has stated they are called silanes. But unlike hydrocarbons, they are very limited in chain length. Hydrocarbon molecules seem to be not limited in size at all, you can make them about as large as you want. Silane molecules with more than twenty silicon atoms in a row are essentially unknown.
They are also pyrophoric. If mixed with air, they spontaneously combust. (I have witnessed this many times.)
As your first answer has stated they are called silanes. But unlike hydrocarbons, they are very limited in chain length. Hydrocarbon molecules seem to be not limited in size at all, you can make them about as large as you want. Silane molecules with more than twenty silicon atoms in a row are essentially unknown.
They are also pyrophoric. If mixed with air, they spontaneously combust. (I have witnessed this many times.)
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Look at the chemical formula for hydrogen gas : H2
When this burns it reacts with oxygen to produce H2O
Now look at the chemical formula for carbon dioxide : CO2
It seems logical to think that this must be produced when carbon , C is being burnt so that it reacts with oxygen.
Clearly to produce CO2 you require a source of C or carbon
But you can see that this cannot come from hydrogen , which does not contains any C -only H
Conclusion . Hydrogen does not produce carbon dioxide when it burns.
Look at the chemical formula for hydrogen gas : H2
When this burns it reacts with oxygen to produce H2O
Now look at the chemical formula for carbon dioxide : CO2
It seems logical to think that this must be produced when carbon , C is being burnt so that it reacts with oxygen.
Clearly to produce CO2 you require a source of C or carbon
But you can see that this cannot come from hydrogen , which does not contains any C -only H
Conclusion . Hydrogen does not produce carbon dioxide when it burns.
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All of them. That’s the definition of “hydrocarbon”: a compound containing only the elements hydrogen and carbon.
All of them. That’s the definition of “hydrocarbon”: a compound containing only the elements hydrogen and carbon.
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H2 itself cannot be considered a hydrocarbon, since, well, it has no carbon.
On the other hand, almost all hydrogen gas currently produced is made by steam reforming natural gas, and thus is made *from* a hydrocarbon. This means that current sources of hydrogen gas are not carbon free, and do depend ultimately on hydrocarbons as a source.
There *are* other ways to produce hydrogen (electrolysis of water, for example), some of which don’t produce any carbon, but compared with steam reforming natural gas, they’re mostly not economical at this time.
H2 itself cannot be considered a hydrocarbon, since, well, it has no carbon.
On the other hand, almost all hydrogen gas currently produced is made by steam reforming natural gas, and thus is made *from* a hydrocarbon. This means that current sources of hydrogen gas are not carbon free, and do depend ultimately on hydrocarbons as a source.
There *are* other ways to produce hydrogen (electrolysis of water, for example), some of which don’t produce any carbon, but compared with steam reforming natural gas, they’re mostly not economical at this time.
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Benzene C6H6, Cyclohexane C2H12 (for example) and millions of others with one ring. Similar numbers with more than one ring.
Benzene C6H6, Cyclohexane C2H12 (for example) and millions of others with one ring. Similar numbers with more than one ring.
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It’s more useful to sequence carbon compounds by structure, for instance writing acetaldehyde as CH3CHO and acetic acid as CH3COOH is more informative than H4C2O and H4C2O2
It’s more useful to sequence carbon compounds by structure, for instance writing acetaldehyde as CH3CHO and acetic acid as CH3COOH is more informative than H4C2O and H4C2O2
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Nothing. The hydrogen would like to combust but can’t without an oxidizer. The oxygen in carbon dioxide is firmly bound (it already oxidized the carbon and has no interest in the hydrogen). And of course the carbon is quite happy to have two oxygen “wives”.
Nothing. The hydrogen would like to combust but can’t without an oxidizer. The oxygen in carbon dioxide is firmly bound (it already oxidized the carbon and has no interest in the hydrogen). And of course the carbon is quite happy to have two oxygen “wives”.
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Answer is yes. This category of compound is called hydrocarbons. Since you can make chains as long as you wish, or having ramifications, double, or triple bonds, be cyclic or not. You have an infinite number of combinations.
The ones you know best are the petrol/gas you put in your car, which has eight carbon, and propane or butane, you use for your barbecue, having 3 and 4 carbon atomes respectively.
Answer is yes. This category of compound is called hydrocarbons. Since you can make chains as long as you wish, or having ramifications, double, or triple bonds, be cyclic or not. You have an infinite number of combinations.
The ones you know best are the petrol/gas you put in your car, which has eight carbon, and propane or butane, you use for your barbecue, having 3 and 4 carbon atomes respectively.
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