Definition

A type of hydrocarbon that is part of the alkene family, consisting of four carbon atoms and having at least one double bond.

Example

Butene is commonly used in the production of plastics and other chemicals.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of butene?

Yeah, I think it's related to butylene, right?

Exactly! It's one of the straight-chain forms of it.

That's interesting; I should read more about organic compounds.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Butene is derived from 'but-' (from the Latin 'butyrum', meaning butter, referring to the four carbon atoms in the molecule) and '-ene' (a suffix used in organic chemistry to denote alkenes, which are hydrocarbons containing a carbon-carbon double bond). The word 'butene' refers to a hydrocarbon with four carbon atoms and at least one double bond between carbon atoms.

Memory Tip

Think of 'but-' as relating to four carbon atoms, and '-ene' indicating a double bond in the structure. This helps you remember that butene is a four-carbon alkene.

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