P roperties
Chemical/Physical Properties
The boiling points for alkanes are gerneally very low. This is due to weak intermolecular forces (LDF) present in alkanes. These forces make it require less energy to break their attraction to one another, making them have a lower boiling point. Along with this, as you add carbons to an alkane, the boiling point increases due to the increased amount of electrons. This makes the LDF intermolecular force stronger as there is a higher chance for temporary dipoles.
The melting point for alkanes flucutates (but always increases and is generally low) as you add carbons to it. This is due to the crystal latice structure of hydrocarbons favoring symmetrical molecules when it comes to the melting point, and if you have an even number of carbons atoms the molecule will be symmetrical.
Since solubility is based on the similarities in intermolecular forces of the solute and the solvent, alkanes are gerneally insoluble in water. This is due to water having LDF, Dipole-Dipole, and Hydrogen Bonding intermolecular forces, while alkanes only have LDF intermolecular forces. In terms of solubility with other alkanes, they are soluble. This is due to alkanes sharing the same intermolecular forces of LDF (only).
The density of alkanes is consistent enough for them to be less dense than water, this is due to their weak intermolecular forces which make them less compact (less dense).
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