Question

If a hydrocarbon consists of 7 Carbon atoms and only contains single bonds, how many Hydrogen atoms does it

have?

Answer 1

16

Step-by-step explanation:

Hydrocarbons are compounds that only consist of hydrogens and carbons.

Saturation

For a hydrocarbon to be saturated, it must have the maximum amount of possible hydrogens. This means that a hydrocarbon will only have single bonds. The hydrocarbon described in the question (known as heptane) is saturated. To find the number of hydrogens in a saturated hydrocarbon we can use the formula 2x+2, where x is the number of carbons.

• 2(7) + 2 = 16

Thus, the hydrocarbon has 16 hydrogens.

Lewis Structure

The formula above is based on the Lewis structure of hydrocarbons. The Lewis structure of a compound is a visual representation of the elements and bonds within the compound. Another way to find the number of hydrogens is by drawing the complete Lewis structure and then counting the hydrogens. Attached below is the Lewis structure of heptane.