How do saturated hydrocarbons differ from unsaturated hydrocarbons?

Saturated hydrocarbons are characterized by having only single bonds between carbon atoms. This means that each carbon atom in a saturated hydrocarbon is connected to other atoms using single covalent bonds, allowing them to be fully "saturated" with hydrogen atoms. For example, alkanes, which are a type of saturated hydrocarbon, follow the general formula CₙH₂ₙ₊₂, indicating that they cannot accommodate more hydrogen atoms without breaking a bond and forming double or triple bonds.

In contrast, unsaturated hydrocarbons contain one or more double or triple bonds between carbon atoms. This structural difference contributes to the chemical reactivity of unsaturated hydrocarbons, as the presence of these multiple bonds makes them more prone to participate in chemical reactions. Hence, unsaturated hydrocarbons are indeed more reactive due to their ability to undergo addition reactions at these double or triple bonds.

The molecular weight of saturated versus unsaturated hydrocarbons does not directly determine their classification; both types can vary in molecular weight depending on the number of carbon and hydrogen atoms in the molecule. Therefore, while unsaturated hydrocarbons can be more reactive, saturated hydrocarbons are readily distinguishable by their single bond structure that leads to a stable molecule holding the maximum number of hydrogen atoms