LIFE, CARBON'S OUTSTANDING PROPERTY 61 



Natural gas contains numerous other gases, among them 

 ethane. Its molecule is made up as follows: 



H H 



I I 

 H— C— C— H 



H H 



The structure of the molecule of this gas would seem to be 

 analogous to that of hydrogen peroxide, but in contrast to 

 this latter unstable compound, ethane, is perfectly stable. 

 This demonstrates the great strength of carbon to carbon 

 linkage. Even longer carbon chains are possible and quite 

 stable ones. They are known to occur in propane : 



H H H 



H— C— C— C— H 



H H H 



in butane: 



H H H H 



H— C— C— C— C— H 



H H H H 



(both of which are gases) and in pentane: 



H H H H H 



H— C— C— C— C— C— H 



H H H H H 



(which is a liquid). 



Carbon-hydrogen compounds with still longer chains are 

 also known (all of these are liquid or solid). Each of these 

 structures corresponds to a definite substance. Substances 

 consisting of molecules made up of varying chains up to 27 

 or more carbon atoms are found in nature, mixed together 



