13.1.2—Alkanes are simple hydrocarbons with no

Alkanes are hydrocarbons containing only single C–C and C–H bonds. They are saturated because each carbon has the maximum number of hydrogen atoms allowed by four covalent bonds.

The absence of a reactive functional group helps explain their relatively limited chemistry: combustion, free-radical substitution and cracking are the key syllabus reactions. Their single bonds are still covalent bonds, not “no bonding”.

Propane, CH₃CH₂CH₃, is an alkane. It can burn in oxygen or undergo chlorination under radical conditions, but it does not decolourise aqueous bromine as an alkene does.

Saturated does not mean unreactive under every condition, and an alkane is not defined by its physical state.