Hydrocarbons are compounds made up of only carbon and hydrogen.

These include:
methane (1 C)
ethane (2C)
propane (3C)
butane (4C)
pentane (5C)
hexane (6C)
heptane (7C)
Octane (8C)
Nonane (8C) and many more.

The first syllable refers to the number of Carbons and the "ane" ending indicates that
the molecule has only single bonds. Hexane is an alkane hydrocarbon with the chemical
formula CH3(CH2)4CH3 or C6H14. The "hex" prefix refers to its six carbons, while the
"ane" ending indicates that its carbons are connected by single bonds. If it is in a ring,
instead of a chain, it is called cyclohexane. If the molecule has one or more double
bonds, the ending will be "ene". More complicated molecules follow the IUPAC naming
convention, such as 1, 3 dimethyl heptane. This would be a 7-Carbon chain with no
double bonds and 2 methyl groups, on the first and third Carbons.

Hydrocarbon - meaning a simple molecule made of hydrogen and carbons containing

strong carbon bonds that release large amounts of energy when broken.
They are named after the number of carbon molecules in the chain which are usually
paired in long chains of carbon-carbon bonds with hydrogen atoms fulfilling the empty
valence electron fields.
Nomenclature: These names were derived from methanol, ether, propionic acid and
butyric acid, respectively. Alkanes with five or more carbon atoms are named by adding
the suffix -ane to the appropriate numerical multiplier prefix[4] with elision of any
terminal vowel (-a or -o) from the basic numerical term. Hence, pentane, C5H12;
hexane, C6H14; heptane, C7H16; octane, C8H18; etc. The prefix is generally Greek,
with the exceptions of nonane which has a Latin prefix, and undecane and tridecane
which have mixed-language prefixes. For a more complete list, see List of alkanes.