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Question

Which of the following statements correctly explains why saturated hydrocarbons burn with a blue flame, while unsaturated hydrocarbons tend to burn with a yellow, sooty flame?

This question was previously asked in
RRB Group D 2025 Question Paper (18-Aug-2026) (Shift 1)
The correct answer is

Unsaturated hydrocarbons have a higher carbon-to-hydrogen ratio, leading to incomplete combustion and soot formation.

Saturated hydrocarbons contain only single bonds between carbon atoms and have a higher hydrogen-to-carbon ratio, allowing them to undergo complete combustion in air, which produces a clean blue flame.

Unsaturated hydrocarbons contain double or triple bonds and have a comparatively higher carbon content relative to hydrogen, so they do not get enough oxygen for complete combustion.

This incomplete combustion leaves unburnt carbon particles that glow, producing a yellow, sooty flame.

Hence, the correct answer is that unsaturated hydrocarbons have a higher carbon-to-hydrogen ratio, leading to incomplete combustion and soot formation.

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Similar Questions

  1. What happens when hydrogen (H₂) is added to an alkene in the presence of a catalyst?

  2. What do methane, ethane and propane represent in the study of carbon compounds?

  3. Which property is most affected if the length of the carbon chain in an alkane increases?

  4. A teacher asks students to draw the structure of butane and isobutane. What is the main difference between these two molecules?

  5. What is the general formula for alkanes with 'n' carbon atoms?

  6. Which among the following molecular formulae of organic compounds does NOT represent a ring structure?

  7. Why do higher homologues of alkanes produce multiple products when they react with chlorine in a substitution reaction?

  8. Select the correct option regarding the following two statements labelled Assertion (A) and Reason (R).

    Assertion (A): Unsaturated hydrocarbons give a yellow flame with black smoke.

    Reason (R): They burn completely when oxygen is insufficient.

  9. Unsaturated hydrocarbons usually undergo which of the following reaction mechanisms?

  10. Which method would be most appropriate to distinguish between saturated and unsaturated carbon compounds in a laboratory setting?


Important Questions from Hydrocarbons

  1. Which of the following base is found in soap?

  2. Which one of the following is the general formula of Alkenes?

  3. \({\rm{C}}{{\rm{H}}_3}{\rm{COOH}}\mathop \to \limits^{LiAI{H_4}} {\rm{A}}\mathop \to \limits^{PC{I_5}} {\rm{B}}\mathop \to \limits^{alc.KOH} {\rm{C}}\) Homologue of ‘C’ in the above reaction is:
  4. Maximum quantity of carbon is present in

  5. Which of the following pair gives 1° carbonium ion by hydrolysis of C-Br bond?

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