Which of the following compounds is can serves as a gaseous fuel ____?

A. CH3 -CH2 -CHO2 -COOH
B. CH3 -C = CH
C. CH3 -CH2 -CH2 -CH3
D. CH3 -CHOH -CH3

Correct Answer:

Option C – CH3 -CH2 -CH2 -CH3

Explanation:

The alkanes are highly combustible and are valuable as clean fuels, burning to form water and carbon dioxide. Methane, ethane, propane, and butane are gases and used directly as fuels. Alkanes from pentane up to around C17H36 are liquids.

Gasoline is a mixture of alkanes from pentane up to about decane. Kerosene contains alkanes from about n=10 to n=16. Above n=17 they are solids at room temperature. Alkanes with higher values of n are found in diesel fuel, fuel oil, petroleum jelly, paraffin wax, motor oils, and for the highest values of n, asphalt.

Alkane derivatives are used in hundreds of products such as plastics, paints, drugs, cosmetics, detergents, insecticides, etc., so the fossil fuel resource from which we obtain the alkanes is much too valuable to burn it all as a motor fuel.