Class 10 Carbon Compounds: Bonds and Homologous Series

Read the structure

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Read the labelled model

Use carbon’s bonding capacity

Carbon typically forms four covalent bonds in the simple neutral compounds studied here. A double bond counts as two and a triple bond as three. Hydrogen forms one bond. Checking these counts helps detect missing hydrogens in a drawn structure.

For ethene, each carbon has a double bond to the other carbon and single bonds to two hydrogens. That gives four bonds around each carbon, even though each is connected to only three atoms.

Find a homologous series

Successive members share a functional group and differ by CH₂ in molecular formula, with a relative molecular mass difference of 14. Methanol, ethanol and propanol form an alcohol series. Their chemical similarities are linked to the functional group; physical properties change gradually with increasing size.

Ethanol and ethanoic acid both contain two carbon atoms, but they belong to different series. Count the carbons only after identifying the functional group. A matching carbon count alone is not the classification rule.

Organise revision around a structure

For each selected compound, write its name, draw a checked structure, circle the functional group and state one relevant property. Then compare it with a neighbouring member of the same series and one compound from another series.

Do not treat every formula beginning with C as a hydrocarbon. Hydrocarbons contain only carbon and hydrogen; ethanol also contains oxygen. This small naming distinction prevents errors in classification questions.

Choose what to study next

Sources and scope

This is a focused learning resource, not a complete chapter or a prediction of board questions. Use your current syllabus and the paper-specific marking scheme for assessment requirements.