How many hydrogen atoms does a single ring cycloalkane have less than the corresponding open-chain alkane?
Answer Details
Cycloalkanes are a type of hydrocarbon where the carbon atoms form a closed ring. Open-chain alkanes, on the other hand, are hydrocarbons with linear carbon chains. In a single ring cycloalkane, each carbon atom is bonded to two other carbon atoms and two hydrogen atoms. However, in an open-chain alkane with the same number of carbon atoms, each carbon atom is bonded to three other carbon atoms and two hydrogen atoms. Therefore, in a single ring cycloalkane, each carbon atom has one less hydrogen atom than in the corresponding open-chain alkane. Since each carbon atom in the ring has one less hydrogen atom, the whole molecule will have two fewer hydrogen atoms than the corresponding open-chain alkane. Therefore, the answer is: Two.