Ethane

Ethane

Ethane (/ˈɛθeɪn/ or /ˈiːθeɪn/) is a chemical compound with the formula C2H6. It is a colorless, odorless, gaseous hydrocarbon that falls under the category of alkanes.

Pronunciation

• UK: /ˈiːθeɪn/
• US: /ˈɛθeɪn/

Etymology

The term "ethane" derives from the IUPAC nomenclature of organic chemistry. It comes from the Greek word "aithēr" (ether), with the ending "-ane" used to denote the presence of a single bond between the carbon atoms.

Chemical Properties

Ethane is the second simplest member of the alkane series, following methane. It is primarily used as a feedstock for ethylene production in steam cracking. Ethane is also used as a fuel in power generation and water heating.

Related Terms

• Alkane
• Methane
• Propane
• Butane
• Pentane
• Hexane
• Heptane
• Octane
• Nonane
• Decane

See Also

• List of Alkanes
• Organic Chemistry
• Hydrocarbon

External links

• Medical encyclopedia article on Ethane
• Wikipedia's article - Ethane

This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.

---

Languages: - East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, Urdu, বাংলা, తెలుగు, தமிழ், ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, European español, Deutsch, français, русский, português do Brasil, Italian, polski