Question 12 - Past Year - 3 Mark Questions - Chapter 4 Class 10 - Carbon and its Compounds

What is meant by isomers? Draw the structure of two isomers of butane, C ₄ H ₁₀ . Explain why we cannot have isomers of first three members of alkane series.

Answer

Isomers are chemical compounds having the same molecular formula but differ in their structure .

Isomers of butane are:  

Isomers differ in their structure. We cannot have isomers of the first three members of alkane series because from the structure of Methane, ethane and propane given above, it is evident that:

• Branching is not possible from the first or last carbon atom.
• The parent chain has only 1,2 or 3 carbon atoms, so they will not differ in their structure.