A hydrocarbon is

Options

A. a compound containing carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.
B. is sodium hydrogen carbonate.
C. a compound containing carbon and hydro gen only.
D. a derivative of benzene.

Explanation

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding the Term "Hydrocarbon":**
- The term "hydrocarbon" can be broken down into two parts: "hydro" and "carbon."
- "Hydro" refers to hydrogen, and "carbon" refers to carbon.

2. **Definition of Hydrocarbon:**
- A hydrocarbon is defined as a compound that consists exclusively of hydrogen and carbon atoms.
- This means that any compound that contains only these two elements qualifies as a hydrocarbon.

3. **Examples of Hydrocarbons:**
- Common examples of hydrocarbons include:
- Methane (CH₄)
- Ethylene (C₂H₄)
- Ethane (C₂H₆)
- All these compounds contain only carbon and hydrogen, confirming their classification as hydrocarbons.

4. **Conclusion:**
- Therefore, the correct answer to the question "What is a hydrocarbon?" is that it is a compound containing only carbon and hydrogen.