Question

What is the term used for describing the hydrocarbon with the general formula ${C_n}{H_{2n + 2}}$?

Answer 1

Alkanes are the only saturated hydrocarbons to be known in nature. Alkanes have no sigma present in their structure. Alkenes and alkynes are further said to be unsaturated bonds due to the presence of the pi bonds in their structure.

Complete answer:
Hydrocarbons are the compounds formed by carbon using covalent bonds with hydrogen. Carbon has four electrons in its outside orbital and they are all ready to be paired but the size is also not that big, which means it is close to nucleus so it is really difficult for it to lose any electron and also the repulsion is also sufficient from electrons, therefore they can’t form ionic bond.
Alkanes – these are the hydrocarbon having no unsaturated bond in their structure or no pi bonds in their structure. Here the carbons make four bonds, one with its fellow carbon atom, which is quite strong and the rest three bonds with hydrogen atom.
So if there is one carbon then it will have 4 hydrogen, if there are two carbons then there are six hydrogens and further on.
If we would like to form formula for this compound, then that would be
$C{H_4},\,{C_2}{H_6}\,,\,{C_3}{H_8}\,.......... \\\ = \,{C_n}{H_{2n + 2}} \\\$
The other types of hydrocarbon having unsaturated bonds or pi bonds are called alkenes and alkynes. Alkenes have one unsaturated bond and alkynes have two unsaturated bonds.
Alkanes are the hydrocarbon having the general formula ${C_n}{H_{2n + 2}}$.

Note:
Alkanes are named according to the number of carbons in its chain, which is, when there is one carbon then its called methane, if it has two then ethane, propane, butane, pentane, hexane, etc. Alkene and Alkyne use the suffix -ene and -yne in the above mentioned names.