Carbon compounds, also known as organic compounds, are molecules containing carbon-hydrogen bonds. They form the basis of life and include diverse substances like carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids.
A carbon compound P has six carbon atoms and twelve hydrogen atoms. (a) Is P a saturated or unsaturated carbon compound. Justify your answer by drawing the structural formula. (b) Describe a test that can be used to determine if compound P is saturated or unsaturated. (c) Name the products that are formed on burning compound P in an excess of air.
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(a) Compound P, with six carbon atoms and twelve hydrogen atoms, can be identified as a saturated hydrocarbon. In saturated hydrocarbons, all carbon-carbon bonds are single bonds, and the molecule is “saturated” with hydrogen atoms. This is because each carbon atom forms four single bonds, reaching its maximum valency. In the given compound P, if it only contains single bonds, it is saturated.
(b) To determine if compound P is saturated or unsaturated, a common test is the bromine water test. Bromine water is an orange solution, and in the presence of an unsaturated compound, it undergoes decolorization. If compound P is unsaturated (contains double or triple bonds), it will react with bromine water, causing the orange color to fade.
(c) When compound P is burned in excess air (complete combustion), it reacts with oxygen to form carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O). The balanced chemical equation for the combustion of a hydrocarbon can be represented as follows:
Compound P + O2 → CO2 + H2O
In this case, since the specific structure of compound P is not provided, the general formula CnH2n+2 for saturated hydrocarbons can be used for illustrative purposes. The combustion products will be carbon dioxide and water.
Diagram: