Which prefix corresponds to a hydrocarbon chain consisting of four carbon atoms?

Which prefix corresponds to a hydrocarbon chain consisting of four carbon atoms?

• A. Pent-
• B. But-
• C. Hex-
• D. Hept-

Answer: (B)

The prefix that corresponds to a hydrocarbon chain consisting of four carbon atoms is "but-." In organic chemistry, prefixes are derived from the number of carbon atoms present in the longest continuous chain of a hydrocarbon. For example, "meth-" refers to one carbon, "eth-" to two carbons, "prop-" to three carbons, and "but-" indicates four carbons. This naming convention is part of the IUPAC system for naming organic compounds, where the base name indicates the longest chain of carbon atoms in the molecule. The other prefixes mentioned, such as "pent-" for five carbon atoms, "hex-" for six, and "hept-" for seven, are larger than four and thus do not represent a four-carbon chain.

The prefix that corresponds to a hydrocarbon chain consisting of four carbon atoms is "but-."

In organic chemistry, prefixes are derived from the number of carbon atoms present in the longest continuous chain of a hydrocarbon. For example, "meth-" refers to one carbon, "eth-" to two carbons, "prop-" to three carbons, and "but-" indicates four carbons.

This naming convention is part of the IUPAC system for naming organic compounds, where the base name indicates the longest chain of carbon atoms in the molecule. The other prefixes mentioned, such as "pent-" for five carbon atoms, "hex-" for six, and "hept-" for seven, are larger than four and thus do not represent a four-carbon chain.