In basic organic chemistry, which of the following compounds contains carbon atoms in its molecular structure?

Introduction / Context:
Organic chemistry is often defined as the branch of chemistry that studies compounds of carbon. Hydrocarbons, which contain only carbon and hydrogen, are the simplest family of organic compounds. Names such as methane, ethane, and propane appear frequently in school level chemistry and in daily life as fuels. This question checks whether you recognise that all these common fuels contain carbon atoms and therefore belong to the family of carbon compounds.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The compounds listed are ethane, propane, and methane. - The question asks which of these compounds contains carbon. - We assume standard chemical formulas: methane CH4, ethane C2H6, propane C3H8.

Concept / Approach:
Hydrocarbons are compounds made only of carbon and hydrogen atoms. Methane, ethane, and propane are all alkanes, which are saturated hydrocarbons with single bonds. Their formulas clearly show carbon atoms. For example, methane contains one carbon atom, ethane contains two, and propane contains three. Since all of the options listed are hydrocarbons, all of them contain carbon and therefore all of them are correctly classified as carbon compounds. The correct choice is the option that includes all of them together.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall the formula for methane, CH4, which clearly includes carbon C and hydrogen H. Step 2: Recall the formula for ethane, C2H6, which contains two carbon atoms and six hydrogen atoms. Step 3: Recall the formula for propane, C3H8, containing three carbon atoms and eight hydrogen atoms. Step 4: Note that in each case, the compound contains at least one carbon atom. Step 5: Since all three individual compounds contain carbon, choose the option All of the above as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify this reasoning by checking any basic organic chemistry textbook or a table of alkanes. The series begins with methane CH4, followed by ethane C2H6, propane C3H8, and butane C4H10. Each of these names indicates a hydrocarbon with a specific number of carbon atoms. The presence of C in the formulas confirms that they are all carbon containing compounds. This confirms that all the listed compounds in the question contain carbon.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A (Ethane) is indeed a carbon compound, but selecting only this option ignores the fact that the others also contain carbon. Option B (Propane) is also a hydrocarbon with carbon atoms, but it is not unique among the listed compounds. Option C (Methane) is the simplest hydrocarbon and certainly contains carbon, but again, choosing only methane would be incomplete.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to overthink the question and assume that only one option must be correct. In many general knowledge and chemistry questions, however, the correct answer can be All of the above when multiple listed items share the required property. Another pitfall is forgetting the simple formulas of common hydrocarbons. Memorising the first few alkanes and their formulas helps avoid confusion and strengthens basic understanding of organic chemistry.

Final Answer:
The correct answer is: All of the above.