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Do hydrocarbons occur naturally in any substance other than crude oil?

April 26, 2017crude earth Geology hydrocarbons naturally occur physical sciences substance

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Do hydrocarbons occur naturally in any substance other than crude oil?

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Yes, tens of thousands. Hydrocarbons are part of crude oil because crude oil is the detritus of what were once living organisms; many of the molecules involved in life are hydrocarbons. In addition, hydrocarbons form abiotically under a wide variety of conditions, including in clouds of dust, gases and ice in space. Hydrocarbons are found almost everywhere.

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Yes, lots. Most oily or waxy substances in nature contain hydrocarbons. This is where the crude oil came from in the first place. One I remember from chemistry lessons is that beeswax is a very pure alkane hydrocarbon. Even human “gas” contains methane – a hydrocarbon.