🧪 By the end of this lesson, you’ll be able to:

• Describe the basic molecular structures of hydrocarbons, including straight chains, branched chains, and rings
• Distinguish between the four main types of hydrocarbons:
  • Alkanes – saturated hydrocarbons with single bonds (e.g., methane, propane)
  • Alkenes – unsaturated hydrocarbons with one or more double bonds (e.g., ethene)
  • Alkynes – unsaturated hydrocarbons with triple bonds (e.g., ethyne)
  • Aromatic compounds – cyclic hydrocarbons with delocalized electrons (e.g., benzene)
• Understand how these compounds behave chemically and physically under different conditions
• Explore the applications of hydrocarbons in fuel production, lubricants, plastics, solvents, and synthetic materials
• Recognize the importance of hydrocarbon chemistry in refining processes like cracking, reforming, and distillation