Page "Alkane" Paragraph 2

Each carbon atom has 4 bonds ( either C-H or C-C bonds ), and each hydrogen atom is joined to a carbon atom ( H-C bonds ).

A series of linked carbon atoms is known as the carbon skeleton or carbon backbone.

The number of carbon atoms is used to define the size of the alkane ( e. g., C < sub > 2 </ sub >- alkane ).