Alkene

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/alkene

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the general formula?CnH2n for acyclic alkenes with one double bond; CnH2n-2 for alkynes, etc
2. What is the industrial production methods?Steam cracking of hydrocarbons, catalytic cracking of heavier fractions
3. Why are alkenes important in making plastics?Alkenes are the building blocks for many plastics. When they join together in a process called polymerization, they form long chains that become materials like polyethylene and polypropylene.
4. How are alkenes made in factories?In factories, large oil molecules are heated or cracked to break them into smaller pieces. This high‑temperature process, called steam cracking, produces light alkenes such as ethene and propene.

Unsaturated Hydrocarbon: A hydrocarbon containing one or more carbon-carbon double or triple bonds.
Electrophilic Addition: A type of addition reaction in organic chemistry where an electrophile is attracted to an electron-rich pi system.
Ziegler-Natta Catalysis: A class of catalysts used in the polymerization of alkenes, particularly for producing polyethylene and polypropylene.
Phytohormone: A plant hormone that regulates growth and development, such as ethylene in fruit ripening.