Question

Compare the proportion of carbon and hydrogen atoms in ethane, ethene and ethyne. Which compound is most unsaturated with hydrogen?

Answer 1

Ethane 

C : H = 2 : 6 = 1 : 3 

Ethene 

C : H = 2 : 4 = 1 : 2 

Ethyne 

C : H = 2 : 2 = 1 : 1

From the above proportion it is clear that ethyne with 1 : 1 ratio of C : H is most unsaturated with hydrogen (50%) as compared to ethane (25%) and ethene (33.33%).