Explain why are alkanes referred to as saturated hydrocarbons?

Explanation

**Step-by-Step Solution:**

1. **Definition of Alkanes**: Alkanes are a class of hydrocarbons that consist only of carbon (C) and hydrogen (H) atoms. They are characterized by having single bonds between carbon atoms.

2. **Structure of Alkanes**: The general formula for alkanes is CnH2n+2, where 'n' is the number of carbon atoms. In an alkane, each carbon atom forms four single covalent bonds with other carbon atoms or hydrogen atoms.

3. **Saturation Concept**: The term "saturated" refers to the fact that each carbon atom in an alkane is bonded to the maximum number of hydrogen atoms possible. This means that there are no double or triple bonds present in the structure.

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