page_title: Hydrocarbon
section_title: Usage
hierarchical_section_title: Hydrocarbon / Usage
caption_attribution_description: English: Tank wagon 33 80 7920 362-0 with hydrocarbon gas at Bahnhof Enns Deutsch: Tankwaggon 33 80 7920 362-0 mit Kohlenwasserstoffgas am Bahnhof Enns
context_page_description: In organic chemistry, a hydrocarbon is an organic compound consisting entirely of hydrogen and carbon. Hydrocarbons are examples of group 14 hydrides. Hydrocarbons from which one hydrogen atom has been removed are functional groups called hydrocarbyls. Hydrocarbons are generally colorless and hydrophobic with only weak odors. Because of their diverse molecular structures, it is difficult to generalize further.
context_section_description: The predominant use of hydrocarbons is as a combustible fuel source. Methane is the predominant component of natural gas. The C⁶ through C¹⁰ alkanes, alkenes and isomeric cycloalkanes are the top components of gasoline, naphtha, jet fuel and specialized industrial solvent mixtures. With the progressive addition of carbon units, the simple non-ring structured hydrocarbons have higher viscosities, lubricating indices, boiling points, solidification temperatures, and deeper color. At the opposite extreme from methane lie the heavy tars that remain as the lowest fraction in a crude oil refining retort. They are collected and widely utilized as roofing compounds, pavement composition (bitumen), wood preservatives (the creosote series) and as extremely high viscosity shear-resisting liquids.
  Some large-scale nonfuel applications of hydrocarbons begins with ethane and propane, which are obtained from petroleum and natural gas.  These two gases are converted either to syngas or to ethylene and propylene.  These two alkenes are precursors to polymers, including polyethylene, polystyrene, acrylates, polypropylene, etc.  Another class of special hydrocarbons is BTX, a mixture of benzene, toluene, and the three xylene isomers. Global consumption of benzene, estimated at more than 40,000,000 tons (2009).
  Hydrocarbons are also prevalent in nature. Some eusocial arthropods, such as the Brazilian stingless bee, Schwarziana quadripunctata, use unique hydrocarbon "scents" in order to determine kin from non-kin. The chemical hydrocarbon composition varies between age, sex, nest location, and hierarchal position.
caption: Tank wagon 33 80 7920 362-0 with hydrocarbon gas at Bahnhof Enns (2018).
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