The simplest hydrocarbon is _______.Group of answer choicesmethaneethanepropanebutane

The simplest hydrocarbon is methane.

Explanation:

Hydrocarbons are organic compounds consisting solely of hydrogen and carbon atoms. They can be classified based on the number of carbon atoms they contain. The simplest form of these compounds is characterized by having the fewest carbon atoms.

1. Methane (CH₄): It contains only one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms. This is the smallest alkane and serves as a foundational building block in organic chemistry.

2. Ethane (C₂H₆): This compound contains two carbon atoms and six hydrogen atoms.

3. Propane (C₃H₈): It consists of three carbon atoms and eight hydrogen atoms.

4. Butane (C₄H₁₀): This has four carbon atoms and ten hydrogen atoms.

Given that methane is the hydrocarbon with the least number of carbon atoms (one), it is recognized as the simplest hydrocarbon.

Final Answer

Methane