Alkanes are a class of organic compounds made up of carbon and hydrogen atoms. They are saturated hydrocarbons, meaning that all of the carbon atoms are connected by single bonds. Alkanes are the simplest and most common type of hydrocarbons, and they form the basis of many of the materials used in everyday life. Examples of alkanes include methane (CH4), ethane (C2H6), propane (C3H8), and butane (C4H10).