GRADE 11

CHEMISTRY
TOPIC: Organic Chemistry

OBJECTIVE:

TIPS

ORGANIC CHEMISTRY

 Organic chemistry is a branch of chemistry that studies the structure,

properties and reactions of organic compounds, which contain carbon that
are involved in covalent bonds.
 The study of structure determines their chemical composition and formula
meaning their physical and chemical properties, and evaluation of chemical
reactivity to understand their behavior.
 Organic compounds are the basis of all living things.
 All organic compounds contain carbon atoms
 They usually contain hydrogen atoms
 They may also contain other atoms such as oxygen, nitrogen or halogen
atoms

https://www.khanacademy.org/science/organic-chemistry

Alkanes

 Alkanes are chemical compounds that consist of carbon and hydrogen

atoms are also called hydrocarbons
 Alkanes are known as single bonded compounds meaning one pair of
electrons is shared by 2 atoms. Example carbon has an atomic number of 6
meaning 4 electrons will be on the outer shell. For the carbon be balanced
it requires 4 more electrons while hydrogen needs 1 more electron to be
balanced. In this case 4 hydrogen atoms are used to covalently bond with
the carbon allowing them both to be balanced hence one pair of electrons
is shared covalently by 2 atoms.
  Alkanes are categorised by the number of carbon atoms present in the
compound.

NUMBER OF CARBON NAMES

1 Methane
2 Ethane
3 Propane
4 Butane
5 Pentane
6 Hexane
7 Heptane
8 Octane
9 Nonane
10 Decane
 For each number of carbon the hydrogen atoms vary, however, it can be
calculated with a simple formula where the value n= the number of
carbon atoms.
Formula:
Cn+H(2n+2)
 Alkanes are used for fuels as they burn readily through the air
 Alkanes are used to manufacture other chemicals
 Alkanes are saturated due to having no double or triple bonds
 Alkanes are easily transported
 Alkanes are easily stored

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/introchem/chapter/alkanes/

https://www.khanacademy.org/science/organic-chemistry/bond-line-structures-
alkanes-cycloalkanes#naming-alkanes