Which of the following describes a saturated hydrocarbon?

A saturated hydrocarbon is characterized by having only single bonds between carbon atoms. This means that each carbon atom is fully "saturated" with hydrogen atoms, leading to a general formula of CnH(2n+2) for aliphatic compounds. In contrast, the presence of double bonds, as indicated in one of the options, would classify a hydrocarbon as unsaturated because double bonds reduce the number of hydrogen atoms attached to the carbon skeleton.

Saturated hydrocarbons typically include alkanes, which are less reactive than their unsaturated counterparts due to the absence of double or triple bonds. This reduced reactivity allows saturated hydrocarbons to be more stable and serve as a primary source of energy in fuels. Aromatic rings, found in certain types of hydrocarbons, also do not define a saturated hydrocarbon and are instead characterized by resonance structures that stabilize the ring system.

Understanding these characteristics helps differentiate between types of hydrocarbons and their behaviors in chemical reactions.