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This lesson covers alkenes — unsaturated hydrocarbons with a C=C double bond — and their key reactions, as required by the Edexcel GCSE Chemistry specification (1CH0). You need to know the general formula, the first three members, how to test for unsaturation, and the important addition reactions (hydrogenation and hydration).
Alkenes are a homologous series of hydrocarbons that contain at least one carbon–carbon double bond (C=C). Because they have a double bond, they have fewer hydrogen atoms than the equivalent alkane and are described as unsaturated.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| General formula | CₙH₂ₙ |
| Bonding | Contains a C=C double bond |
| Saturation | Unsaturated (not all carbon atoms are bonded to the maximum number of hydrogen atoms) |
| Reactivity | More reactive than alkanes because of the double bond |
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