WBCS.LIVE practice question

Saturated hydrocarbons are termed paraffins because

Solve this multiple-choice question and check the correct answer with its explanation below.

Answer options

  1. they are much less reactive
  2. they are highly reactive
  3. they are insoluble in water
  4. they are noncombustible

Correct answer and explanation

Correct answer: they are much less reactive

Explanation: āœ… Correct Answer: A. they are much less reactive šŸ“š Explanation: Saturated hydrocarbons (alkanes) are called 'paraffins', which comes from the Latin words 'parum affinis' meaning "little affinity" or "little reactivity." This is because their carbon atoms are fully bonded with hydrogen. They do not easily react with most common acids or bases under normal conditions. This stability makes them very different from unsaturated hydrocarbons, which are more chemically active.