Alkyl group

Different ways of drawing the structure of the isobutyl group, an alkyl group with branches.

Alkyl groups are made of chemicals with carbon atoms. They are like alkanes but they have one fewer hydrogen atom. An alkyl is a piece of a molecule that makes it do or act a certain way. Alkyls have only carbon and hydrogen atoms, which can be one long chain or have multiple branches.

Alkyl groups have the formula C_nH_2n+1, where n can be any whole number as long if it is the same one. (For example, if there are two carbons, there must be five hydrogens because 2*2+1=5.)