What is the naturally occurring mixture of short chain hydrocarbons with a minor amount of inorganic compounds called?

• A. Methane
• B. Natural Gas
• C. Ethane
• D. Propane

Answer: (B)

A naturally occurring mixture of short-chain hydrocarbons with a minor amount of inorganic compounds is described by natural gas. This substance is not just one molecule but a blend dominated by methane, with smaller amounts of other light hydrocarbons such as ethane, propane, and sometimes butane, along with trace inorganic gases like carbon dioxide or hydrogen sulfide. That combination—primarily methane plus a few other light hydrocarbons and a small amount of inorganic compounds—defines natural gas.

Methane alone is just a single hydrocarbon, not a mixture. Ethane and propane are individual components found within the mixture, but they don’t describe the whole substance. So natural gas best fits the description given.