What is the molecular formula for butene?

The molecular formula for butene is correctly represented as C₄H₈. Butene is an alkene hydrocarbon consisting of four carbon atoms and eight hydrogen atoms. The general formula for alkenes is CₙH₂ₙ, where n is the number of carbon atoms. For butene, where n equals 4, substituting into the formula gives you C₄H₂(4) = C₄H₈.

This formula indicates that butene contains a double bond between two carbon atoms, which is characteristic of alkenes. Recognizing the structure of butene helps in understanding its molecular formula. Other choices do not represent the correct structure for butene; for example, C₂H₄ is the formula for ethylene, C₆H₁₂ represents hexene, and C₃H₆ corresponds to propylene, none of which contain four carbon atoms to accurately define butene.