Description
Organic compounds of hydrogen and carbon, whose densities, boiling points and freezing points increase as their molecular weights increase. Although composed of only two elements, hydrocarbons exist in a variety of compounds because of the strong affinity of carbon atoms for other atoms and for itself. The smallest molecules of hydrocarbons are gaseous; the largest are solids. Petroleum is a mixture of many different hydrocarbons.
Source :
Alpha Thames Ltd 2004