Here is an example of an alkane.
Notice the carbon chain in RED, and that all the carbons have single bonds between them.
A chlorine atom is added in as well.
How do you name ALKANE compounds?
Step 1
Imagine that all the carbons form a road.
Then the road is 5 carbons long.
Now 5 carbons = PENT
Step 2
There are only SINGLE BONDS between the carbons.
Hence the family is ALKANE.
We combine PENT and ANE.
Hence the road name is PENTANE.
Step 3
Now imagine that the chlorine is someone’s house and you must give it an address.
Note that the chlorine is at carbon number 2.
We call it 2-chloro
We combine all the words into one big word!
Hence the name is:
2-chloropentane