Alkane (sung to the tune of “Cocaine”)
Dedicated to Mr. James Sillars and Dr. Frances Leland, my mentors in chemistry, (with apologies to Eric Clapton)...
If you’ve got ten carbons, and then all single bonds: decane.
If you take one away, then you would say: nonane.
Saturated hydrocarbons: alkanes.
If gas you would rate, then the carbons are eight: octane.
Seven carbs in a row, hydrogens all in tow: heptane.
Saturated hydrocarbons: alkanes.
Put six carbs in a line, single bonds all the time: hexane.
H 12 and C 5, used in some pesticides: pentane.
Saturated hydrocarbons: alkanes.
[guitar solo]
Hold that lighter up bright, combusting at night: butane.
Cleaner fuel for a bus, energy you can trust: propane.
Saturated hydrocarbons: alkanes.
Ethanol without O, is a gas don’t you know: ethane.
Just one carbon alone, with four hydrogens on: methane.
Saturated hydrocarbons: alkanes.
Saturated hydrocarbons: alkanes.