What is "hexadecane"

Hecdecane \Hec"de*cane\, n. [Gr. ? six + ? ten.] (Chem.) A white, semisolid, spermaceti-like hydrocarbon, C16H34, of the paraffin series, found dissolved as an important ingredient of kerosene, and so called because each molecule has sixteen atoms of carbon; -- called also hexadecane.

n. (context organic compound English) Any of the very many isomeric aliphatic hydrocarbons of general formula C₁₆H₃₄

Hexadecane (also called cetane) is an alkane hydrocarbon with the chemical formula CH. Hexadecane consists of a chain of 16 carbon atoms, with three hydrogen atoms bonded to the two end carbon atoms, and two hydrogens bonded to each of the 14 other carbon atoms.

Cetane is often used as a shorthand for cetane number, a measure of the detonation of diesel fuel. Cetane ignites very easily under compression; for this reason, it is assigned a cetane number of 100, and serves as a reference for other fuel mixtures.

It has one of the lowest octane ratings, at <−30.