- First four membres of alkanes are gas
- Next thirteen members $(C_5-C_{17})$ are liquids
- $\ge C_{18}$ are wax like solids
- Alkanes are almost non polar compounds
- Example - In ethane, electronegativity of C = 2.6 and of H = 2.1
- Dissolve only in non polar solvents $C_6H_6, CCl_4$