Structure of Alkenes
Chemistry: AQA GCSE Higher, topic 7.2.1
Alkenes
Alkenes are hydrocarbons with the functional group C=C. This means that alkenes have a carbon-carbon double bond. Alkenes have the following features:
Unsaturated
- Alkenes are unsaturated hydrocarbons because they contain a double bond between two of their carbon atoms (C=C).
- This means that an alkane and alkene with the same length of carbon chain will have different numbers of hydrogen atoms - the alkane will have two more hydrogen atoms.
What is the general formula of alkenes?
- A homologous series is a series of compounds with the same general formula.
- Alkenes are a homologous series with the general formula CnH2n.
How reactive are alkenes?
- The presence of the C=C functional group means that alkenes have greater reactivity than alkanes.
Test yourself on Structure of Alkenes
Which of the following are properties of alkenes?
Why are alkenes more reactive than alkanes?
Properties of alkenes
Why does an alkane have two more hydrogen atoms than an alkene with the same number of carbon atoms?
Two alkenes have different numbers of carbon atoms but both follow the general formula CnH2n. What do they have in common?