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| Alkane |
 | | The first alkane, methane, is one carbon with four hydrogen, each hydrogen taking up one bond on the carbon atom; the second, ethane, is two carbons single-bonded surrounded by six hydrogen taking up the other bonds. |
 | | For alkanes with 1-12 carbon atoms, the number of isomers for each is 1, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 9, 18, 35, 75, 159, and 355, respectively. |
 | | Alkanes occur naturally on Earth and throughout the solar system, including in comets and in meteorites. |
| www.iscid.org /encyclopedia/Alkane (228 words) |
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