paraffin series: see alkane.

paraffin, white, more-or-less translucent, odorless, tasteless, waxy solid. It melts between 47°C; and 65°C; and is insoluble in water but soluble in ether, benzene, and certain esters. Paraffin is unaffected by most common chemical reagents but burns readily in air. Obtained from petroleum during refining, it is used in candles, for coating paper, and for various other purposes. Chemically, paraffin is a mixture of high-molecular-weight alkanes, i.e., saturated hydrocarbons with the general formula C_nH_2n+2, where n is an integer between 22 and 27.

Mixture of organic compounds traditionally derived from petroleum but also obtained synthetically. It usually consists of alkane hydrocarbons (also called paraffins) and is used for coating and sealing, for candles, and in floor waxes, lubricants, waterproofing agents, and cosmetics. Seealso alkane.

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or kerosine

Organic compound, a clear, oily, highly flammable liquid with a strong odour, distilled from petroleum (10–25percnt of total volume). It is a mixture of about 10 different types of fairly simple hydrocarbons, depending on its source. It is less volatile than gasoline, boiling at 285–610 °F (140–320 °C). It is burned in lamps, heaters, and furnaces and is used as a fuel or fuel component for diesel and tractor engines, jet engines, and rockets and as a solvent for greases and insecticides.

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