hydrocarbures

Hydrocarbures, or hydrocarbons in English, are a broad class of organic compounds composed solely of carbon and hydrogen. They form the foundational chemical family for many fuels and petrochemicals. They occur in gaseous, liquid, and solid forms and can be found in nature as components of natural gas, crude oil, and various deposits.

There are several major categories: aliphatic hydrocarbons (open chains and rings) which include alkanes (single bonds), alkenes (double bonds), and alkynes (triple bonds), as well as cycloalkanes; and aromatic hydrocarbons, which contain one or more benzene-like rings. Saturated vs unsaturated: alkanes are saturated; alkenes and alkynes are unsaturated.

Most hydrocarbons on Earth are derived from the decomposition of ancient biomass transformed by heat and pressure over geological time, yielding fossil fuels. Natural gas is rich in light hydrocarbons such as methane, ethane, propane, and butane, while crude oil contains a broader range of hydrocarbons.

They are extracted, separated, and refined to produce fuels (gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, natural gas) and chemical feedstocks for plastics, solvents, lubricants, and synthetic materials.

Hydrocarbons are typically flammable and can release CO2 and other pollutants upon combustion. Spills can cause soil and water contamination; refining and combustion contribute to air pollution and climate change, prompting regulation and the development of cleaner energy alternatives.