Final answer:
The alkane with the molecular formula C7H16 is known as heptane, which is named based on having a seven-carbon chain.
Step-by-step explanation:
The alkane with the molecular formula C7H16 is called heptane. Alkanes are named based on the length of their carbon chain. For instance, methane has one carbon atom, ethane has two, propane has three, and the naming continues with butane, pentane, hexane, and so on. In this case, the chain length is seven carbon atoms long, therefore the name heptane is derived from the prefix 'hept-', indicating seven. Other options like butane, pentane, and hexane have four, five, and six carbon atoms respectively, so those names do not apply to an alkane with seven carbon atoms.