Select the correct answer.

Predict the chemical formula of butyne, having one carbon-carbon triple bond.

A. [tex]C_4H_8[/tex]
B. [tex]C_4H_{10}[/tex]
C. [tex]C_4H_6[/tex]



Answer :

To determine the correct chemical formula for butyne, which contains one carbon-carbon triple bond, we need to follow these steps:

1. Understand Alkyne General Formula:
Alkynes are hydrocarbons with at least one carbon-carbon triple bond. The general formula for an alkyne is [tex]\(C_nH_{2n-2}\)[/tex], where [tex]\(n\)[/tex] is the number of carbon atoms.

2. Identify the Number of Carbon Atoms:
For butyne, the prefix "but-" indicates that it has 4 carbon atoms. Therefore, [tex]\(n = 4\)[/tex].

3. Apply the General Formula:
Substitute [tex]\(n = 4\)[/tex] into the general formula for alkynes to find the number of hydrogen atoms.
[tex]\[ H = 2n - 2 \][/tex]
[tex]\[ H = 2 \times 4 - 2 = 8 - 2 = 6 \][/tex]

4. Write the Chemical Formula:
Replace [tex]\(n\)[/tex] with 4 and the calculated hydrogen atoms into the alkyne formula [tex]\(C_nH_{2n-2}\)[/tex]:
[tex]\[ \text{Chemical formula} = C_4H_6 \][/tex]

5. Match With Provided Options:
Let's compare our derived chemical formula [tex]\(C_4H_6\)[/tex] with the provided options:

A. [tex]\(C_4H_8\)[/tex]

B. [tex]\(C_4H_{10}\)[/tex]

C. [tex]\(C_4H_6\)[/tex]

Clearly, the correct option that matches our chemical formula for butyne (which contains one carbon-carbon triple bond) is:

C. [tex]\(C_4H_6\)[/tex]

Therefore, the correct answer is:
c. [tex]\(C_4H_6\)[/tex]