The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) defines alkanes as "acyclic branched or unbranched hydrocarbons having the general formula , and therefore consisting entirely of hydrogen atoms and saturated carbon atoms".
ðɪ ˌɪntɚnˈæʃənəl jˈuːniən ʌv pjˈʊɹ ænd ɐplˈaɪd kˈɛmɪstɹi ˈɪjuːpˌæk dᵻfˈaɪnz ˈælkeɪnz æz "ɐkˈaɪklɪk bɹˈæntʃt ɔːɹ ʌnbɹˈæntʃt hˈaɪdɹəkˌɑːɹbənz hˌævɪŋ ðə dʒˈɛnɚɹəl fˈɔːɹmjʊlə , ænd ðˈɛɹfoːɹ kənsˈɪstɪŋ ɛntˈaɪɚli ʌv hˈaɪdɹədʒən ˈæɾəmz ænd sˈætʃɚɹˌeɪɾᵻd kˈɑːɹbən ˈæɾəmz".