Provide an example of an alkane and an aromatic compound.

Example of an alkane and an aromatic compound

An alkane is a hydrocarbon with single bonds between carbon atoms, while an aromatic compound contains a ring of atoms with alternating double bonds.

An example of an alkane is methane (CH4), which has one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms. It is the simplest alkane and is a major component of natural gas. Other examples of alkanes include ethane (C2H6), propane (C3H8), and butane (C4H10).

An example of an aromatic compound is benzene (C6H6), which has a ring of six carbon atoms with alternating double bonds. It is a clear, colourless liquid with a sweet odour and is used in the production of many chemicals, including plastics, resins, and synthetic fibres. Other examples of aromatic compounds include toluene (C7H8), naphthalene (C10H8), and phenol (C6H5OH).

Alkanes and aromatic compounds have different physical and chemical properties due to their different structures. Alkanes are generally less reactive than aromatic compounds and have lower boiling points. Aromatic compounds are more stable due to the resonance effect of the double bonds in the ring, which distributes the electron density evenly and makes the compound less reactive.

In summary, methane is an example of an alkane, while benzene is an example of an aromatic compound. These two types of hydrocarbons have different structures and properties, which affect their reactivity and uses in various industries.