Final answer:
Hydrocarbons are organic compounds consisting solely of carbon and hydrogen atoms, including alkanes (saturated hydrocarbons with single bonds), alkenes (with double bonds), alkynes (with triple bonds), and arenes (aromatic hydrocarbons).
Step-by-step explanation:
Molecules containing only carbon (C) and hydrogen (H) are also called hydrocarbons. These hydrocarbons are part of a family of organic compounds and can be categorized into several types based on the bonding between carbon atoms. They include alkanes, with the general molecular formula CnH2n+2 where n is an integer, representing saturated hydrocarbons with only single bonds between carbon atoms.
The other types are alkenes, symbolized by CnH2n, which contain at least one double bond, and alkynes, represented by CnH2n-2, with at least one triple bond. Moreover, arenes are aromatic hydrocarbons that typically contain a benzene ring. These various forms of hydrocarbons are instrumental in a range of applications, from fuels like gasoline and natural gas to the formation of plastics such as polyethylene and polypropylene.