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What is the difference between alkanes, alkenes and alkynes?

In brief, Alkanes are saturated hydrocarbons meaning a single bond between the carbon-carbon atoms eg Ethane. Alkenes are unsaturated hydrocarbons meaning one or more double bonds between carbon-carbon atoms eg Ethene. Alkynes are also unsaturated hydrocarbons with one or more triple bonds between the carbon-carbon atoms eg Ethyne.

Your description of alkenes as unsaturated hydrocarbons with one or more double bonds (e.g., ethene) is slope game accurate. This unsaturation allows for additional reactions that alkanes cannot undergo.