Step 1: Understand what alkanes are. Alkanes are a type of hydrocarbon, which means they are made up of hydrogen and carbon atoms.
Step 2: Learn about the structure of alkanes. Alkanes have single bonds between carbon atoms, making them saturated hydrocarbons.
Step 3: Recognize that alkanes are non-polar molecules. This means they do not have a positive or negative end, which affects how they interact with other substances.
Step 4: Understand solubility. Non-polar substances, like alkanes, do not mix well with polar substances, like water.
Step 5: Conclude that since alkanes are non-polar, they are generally insoluble in water.
