Alright, let's carefully analyze the problem step by step to identify which hydrocarbon is most likely to be an alkyne.
### Understanding the Characteristics of Alkynes and Alkenes
1. Alkynes generally have a triple bond between carbon atoms.
2. Alkenes typically feature a double bond between carbon atoms.
### Boiling Point Consideration
The key characteristic we're assessing here is the boiling point. Generally, alkynes have higher boiling points than alkenes of similar size due to stronger intermolecular forces (like London dispersion forces and dipole-dipole interactions) caused by the additional π-bond in the triple bond.
### Reviewing the Data
We are given the boiling points of four hydrocarbons:
- W: -23.0 °C
- X: -103.7 °C
- Y: -75.0 °C
- Z: -47.0 °C
### Step-by-Step Analysis
1. Compare the boiling points: We start by identifying the hydrocarbon with the highest boiling point among the given values.
- [tex]\(W\)[/tex] has a boiling point of -23.0 °C.
- [tex]\(X\)[/tex] has a boiling point of -103.7 °C.
- [tex]\(Y\)[/tex] has a boiling point of -75.0 °C.
- [tex]\(Z\)[/tex] has a boiling point of -47.0 °C.
2. Identify the highest boiling point: From the given boiling points, [tex]\(W\)[/tex] with -23.0 °C has the highest boiling point.
3. Determine the most likely alkyne: Since alkynes usually have higher boiling points amongst similar-sized hydrocarbons, [tex]\(W\)[/tex] with the highest boiling point is most likely to be an alkyne.
### Conclusion
Based on the data and the given boiling points, the hydrocarbon that is most likely to be an alkyne is:
W
with a boiling point of -23.0 °C.
