Question

What is meant by homologous series of carbon compounds?

What are homologous series of carbon compounds?

Answer 1

Organic compounds that have similar general formula belong to a series called homologous series. The chemical properties of the organic compounds in the homologous series are the same because of the presence of the same functional group.

Alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, etc. form such series in which their respective members differ in mass by 14 atomic mass units. Each member in the series differs from the previous one by a CH₂ group.