Background: Saturated hydrocarbons are given the general name of alkanes . The name of specific alkanes always ends in – ane . The first part of the name indicates how many carbon atoms each molecule of the alkane has. The smallest alkane is methane. It has just one carbon atom. The next largest is ethane with two carbon atoms. The chemical formulas and properties of methane, ethane, and other small alkanes are listed in the Table below . The boiling and melting points of alkanes are determined mainly by the number of carbon atoms they have. Alkanes with more carbon atoms generally boil and melt at higher temperatures.

Situation: Two students studied chemistry. Nate studied alkanes, and Ben studied noble gasses. They both got an A later on.

Question: Which student learned more about methane?
Answer: Nate

Situation: Two students studied chemistry. Nate studied alkanes, and Ben studied noble gasses. They both got an A later on.

Question: Which student learned less about methane?
Answer: Ben

Situation: Two students studied chemistry. Nate studied alkanes, and Ben studied noble gasses. They both got an A later on.

Question: Which student learned less about ethane?
Answer: Ben

Situation: Two students studied chemistry. Nate studied alkanes, and Ben studied noble gasses. They both got an A later on.

Question: Which student learned more about ethane?
Answer: Nate

Situation: Two students studied chemistry. Nate studied alkanes, and Ben studied noble gasses. They both got an A later on.

Question: Which student learned more about the boiling point of alkanes?
Answer: Nate

Situation: Two students studied chemistry. Nate studied alkanes, and Ben studied noble gasses. They both got an A later on.

Question: Which student learned less about the boiling point of alkanes?
Answer: Ben

Situation: Two students studied chemistry. Nate studied alkanes, and Ben studied noble gasses. They both got an A later on.

Question: Which student learned less about the melting point of alkanes?
Answer: Ben

Situation: Two students studied chemistry. Nate studied alkanes, and Ben studied noble gasses. They both got an A later on.

Question: Which student learned more about the melting point of alkanes?
Answer: Nate

Situation: Two students studied chemistry. Nate studied alkanes, and Ben studied noble gasses. They both got an A later on.

Question: Which student learned more about how many carbon atoms each molecule of the alkane has?
Answer: Nate

Situation: Two students studied chemistry. Nate studied alkanes, and Ben studied noble gasses. They both got an A later on.

Question: Which student learned less about how many carbon atoms each molecule of the alkane has?
Answer: Ben

Situation: Two sisters Mary and Beth were into sciences. Beth studied physics, while Mary studied chemistry and especially alkanes. They were very devoted to studying.

Question: Which sister studied more about methane?
Answer: Mary

Situation: Two sisters Mary and Beth were into sciences. Beth studied physics, while Mary studied chemistry and especially alkanes. They were very devoted to studying.

Question: Which sister studied less about methane?
Answer: Beth

Situation: Two sisters Mary and Beth were into sciences. Beth studied physics, while Mary studied chemistry and especially alkanes. They were very devoted to studying.

Question: Which sister studied less about ethane?
Answer: Beth

Situation: Two sisters Mary and Beth were into sciences. Beth studied physics, while Mary studied chemistry and especially alkanes. They were very devoted to studying.

Question: Which sister studied more about ethane?
Answer: Mary

Situation: Two sisters Mary and Beth were into sciences. Beth studied physics, while Mary studied chemistry and especially alkanes. They were very devoted to studying.

Question: Which sister studied more about the boiling points of alkanes?
Answer: Mary

Situation: Two sisters Mary and Beth were into sciences. Beth studied physics, while Mary studied chemistry and especially alkanes. They were very devoted to studying.

Question: Which sister studied less about the boiling points of alkanes?
Answer: Beth

Situation: Two sisters Mary and Beth were into sciences. Beth studied physics, while Mary studied chemistry and especially alkanes. They were very devoted to studying.

Question: Which sister studied less about the melting points of alkanes?
Answer: Beth

Situation: Two sisters Mary and Beth were into sciences. Beth studied physics, while Mary studied chemistry and especially alkanes. They were very devoted to studying.

Question: Which sister studied more about the melting points of alkanes?
Answer: Mary

Situation: Two sisters Mary and Beth were into sciences. Beth studied physics, while Mary studied chemistry and especially alkanes. They were very devoted to studying.

Question: Which sister studied more about the chemical formulas and properties of small alkanes?
Answer: Mary

Situation: Two sisters Mary and Beth were into sciences. Beth studied physics, while Mary studied chemistry and especially alkanes. They were very devoted to studying.

Question: Which sister studied less about the chemical formulas and properties of small alkanes?
Answer: Beth