Which among the following are the principal constituents of petroleum and natural gas? 

The correct answer is Hydrocarbons.

Key Points

• Hydrocarbons are the principal constituents of petroleum and natural gas.
• They are organic compounds composed entirely of hydrogen and carbon atoms.
• Hydrocarbons are categorized into alkanes, alkenes, and alkynes based on the types of bonds between the carbon atoms.
• Petroleum is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons and other organic compounds, and it's found in geological formations beneath the Earth's surface.
• Natural gas primarily consists of methane (CH4), with smaller amounts of other hydrocarbons such as ethane, propane, and butane.

 Additional Information

• Allotropes
  • Allotropes are different forms of the same element, where the atoms are bonded together in different ways.
  • Examples include carbon allotropes like diamond, graphite, and graphene.
• Photolysis
  • Photolysis is a chemical process by which molecules are broken down into smaller units through the absorption of light energy.
  • It plays a significant role in processes like photosynthesis.
• Amorphous
  • The term amorphous refers to substances that lack a clearly defined crystalline structure.
  • Examples include glass and plastics.