Which functional group is common to both methane ($C_1{H}_4$) and butane ($C_4{H}_{10}$)?

• A. They both contain an alcohol functional group.
• B. They both contain a ketone functional group.
• C. They both contain a carboxylic acid functional group.
• D. They both contain only alkane (single-bonded carbon and hydrogen) functional groups.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the molecular formulas and structures of methane (CH\_4) and butane (C\_4H\_{10}). Both are hydrocarbons composed only of carbon and hydrogen atoms.
2. Recall the definition of functional groups: specific groups of atoms within molecules that are responsible for characteristic chemical reactions. Common functional groups include alcohols (-OH), ketones (C=O within carbon chain), and carboxylic acids (-COOH).
3. Analyze methane and butane to see if they contain any of these functional groups. Methane consists of a single carbon atom bonded to four hydrogens, and butane is a straight-chain alkane with only single bonds between carbons and hydrogens.
4. Since neither methane nor butane contains oxygen or other heteroatoms, they do not have alcohol, ketone, or carboxylic acid groups. Instead, their functional group is the alkane group, characterized by single C-C and C-H bonds.
5. Conclude that the common functional group in both methane and butane is the alkane functional group, which consists solely of single-bonded carbon and hydrogen atoms.