Table of contents
- 1. Introduction to Biology2h 42m
- 2. Chemistry3h 40m
- 3. Water1h 26m
- 4. Biomolecules2h 23m
- 5. Cell Components2h 26m
- 6. The Membrane2h 31m
- 7. Energy and Metabolism2h 0m
- 8. Respiration2h 40m
- 9. Photosynthesis2h 49m
- 10. Cell Signaling59m
- 11. Cell Division2h 47m
- 12. Meiosis2h 0m
- 13. Mendelian Genetics4h 44m
- Introduction to Mendel's Experiments7m
- Genotype vs. Phenotype17m
- Punnett Squares13m
- Mendel's Experiments26m
- Mendel's Laws18m
- Monohybrid Crosses19m
- Test Crosses14m
- Dihybrid Crosses20m
- Punnett Square Probability26m
- Incomplete Dominance vs. Codominance20m
- Epistasis7m
- Non-Mendelian Genetics12m
- Pedigrees6m
- Autosomal Inheritance21m
- Sex-Linked Inheritance43m
- X-Inactivation9m
- 14. DNA Synthesis2h 27m
- 15. Gene Expression3h 20m
- 16. Regulation of Expression3h 31m
- Introduction to Regulation of Gene Expression13m
- Prokaryotic Gene Regulation via Operons27m
- The Lac Operon21m
- Glucose's Impact on Lac Operon25m
- The Trp Operon20m
- Review of the Lac Operon & Trp Operon11m
- Introduction to Eukaryotic Gene Regulation9m
- Eukaryotic Chromatin Modifications16m
- Eukaryotic Transcriptional Control22m
- Eukaryotic Post-Transcriptional Regulation28m
- Eukaryotic Post-Translational Regulation13m
- 17. Viruses37m
- 18. Biotechnology2h 58m
- 19. Genomics17m
- 20. Development1h 5m
- 21. Evolution3h 1m
- 22. Evolution of Populations3h 52m
- 23. Speciation1h 37m
- 24. History of Life on Earth2h 6m
- 25. Phylogeny2h 31m
- 26. Prokaryotes4h 59m
- 27. Protists1h 12m
- 28. Plants1h 22m
- 29. Fungi36m
- 30. Overview of Animals34m
- 31. Invertebrates1h 2m
- 32. Vertebrates50m
- 33. Plant Anatomy1h 3m
- 34. Vascular Plant Transport1h 2m
- 35. Soil37m
- 36. Plant Reproduction47m
- 37. Plant Sensation and Response1h 9m
- 38. Animal Form and Function1h 19m
- 39. Digestive System1h 10m
- 40. Circulatory System1h 57m
- 41. Immune System1h 12m
- 42. Osmoregulation and Excretion50m
- 43. Endocrine System1h 4m
- 44. Animal Reproduction1h 2m
- 45. Nervous System1h 55m
- 46. Sensory Systems46m
- 47. Muscle Systems23m
- 48. Ecology3h 11m
- Introduction to Ecology20m
- Biogeography14m
- Earth's Climate Patterns50m
- Introduction to Terrestrial Biomes10m
- Terrestrial Biomes: Near Equator13m
- Terrestrial Biomes: Temperate Regions10m
- Terrestrial Biomes: Northern Regions15m
- Introduction to Aquatic Biomes27m
- Freshwater Aquatic Biomes14m
- Marine Aquatic Biomes13m
- 49. Animal Behavior28m
- 50. Population Ecology3h 41m
- Introduction to Population Ecology28m
- Population Sampling Methods23m
- Life History12m
- Population Demography17m
- Factors Limiting Population Growth14m
- Introduction to Population Growth Models22m
- Linear Population Growth6m
- Exponential Population Growth29m
- Logistic Population Growth32m
- r/K Selection10m
- The Human Population22m
- 51. Community Ecology2h 46m
- Introduction to Community Ecology2m
- Introduction to Community Interactions9m
- Community Interactions: Competition (-/-)38m
- Community Interactions: Exploitation (+/-)23m
- Community Interactions: Mutualism (+/+) & Commensalism (+/0)9m
- Community Structure35m
- Community Dynamics26m
- Geographic Impact on Communities21m
- 52. Ecosystems2h 36m
- 53. Conservation Biology24m
4. Biomolecules
Carbon
Problem 4`
Textbook Question
Visualize the structural formula of each of the following hydrocarbons. Which hydrocarbon has a double bond in its carbon skeleton?
a. C3H8
b. C₂H₆
c. C₂H₄
d. C₂H₂

1
Step 1: Understand the basic structure of hydrocarbons, which are organic compounds consisting entirely of hydrogen and carbon. The simplest hydrocarbons are alkanes, alkenes, and alkynes.
Step 2: Recall that alkanes have single bonds between carbon atoms, alkenes have at least one double bond, and alkynes have at least one triple bond. This will help in identifying the type of bond present in each hydrocarbon.
Step 3: Visualize the structural formula for each hydrocarbon:
- For C3H8 (propane), the structure is CH3-CH2-CH3, with all single bonds.
- For C2H6 (ethane), the structure is CH3-CH3, with all single bonds.
- For C2H4 (ethylene), the structure is CH2=CH2, with a double bond between the carbon atoms.
- For C2H2 (acetylene), the structure is HC≡CH, with a triple bond between the carbon atoms.
Step 4: Identify the hydrocarbon with a double bond. From the visualized structures, C2H4 (ethylene) has a double bond between its carbon atoms.
Step 5: Conclude that C2H4 is the hydrocarbon with a double bond in its carbon skeleton, distinguishing it from the others which have single or triple bonds.

This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above
Video duration:
8mPlay a video:
Was this helpful?
Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Hydrocarbon Structure
Hydrocarbons are organic compounds consisting entirely of hydrogen and carbon. Their structure can be linear, branched, or cyclic, and they are categorized based on the types of bonds between carbon atoms: single, double, or triple. Understanding the structural formula helps in identifying the presence of these bonds.
Recommended video:
Guided course
Community Structure
Types of Carbon Bonds
Carbon atoms can form single, double, or triple bonds with other carbon atoms. Single bonds (alkanes) are saturated, while double (alkenes) and triple bonds (alkynes) are unsaturated. Double bonds are characterized by the sharing of two pairs of electrons, affecting the molecule's reactivity and geometry.
Recommended video:
Guided course
Carbon
Identifying Double Bonds
To identify a double bond in a hydrocarbon, examine the molecular formula and structural representation. A double bond reduces the number of hydrogen atoms compared to a saturated hydrocarbon with the same number of carbon atoms. For example, C2H4 (ethylene) has a double bond, unlike C2H6 (ethane), which has only single bonds.
Recommended video:
Guided course
Hydrogen Bonding
Related Videos
Related Practice