Which of the following reactions is characteristic of alkanes?
Practice Questions
Q1
Which of the following reactions is characteristic of alkanes?
Electrophilic substitution
Nucleophilic substitution
Free radical substitution
Addition reaction
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
Which of the following reactions is characteristic of alkanes?
Step 1: Understand what alkanes are. Alkanes are hydrocarbons that only have single bonds between carbon atoms.
Step 2: Learn about chemical reactions. Reactions are processes where substances change into new substances.
Step 3: Identify the type of reaction characteristic of alkanes. Alkanes typically undergo a reaction called free radical substitution.
Step 4: Know what free radical substitution means. It involves breaking a bond in the alkane and replacing one of its hydrogen atoms with a halogen (like chlorine or bromine).
Step 5: Recognize that this reaction usually happens in the presence of halogens, which are elements like chlorine (Cl) or bromine (Br).
Step 6: Conclude that the characteristic reaction of alkanes is free radical substitution with halogens.