Sodium in paraffin oil

In chemistry, paraffin is the common name for the alkane hydrocarbons with the general formula C_nH_2n+2. Paraffin wax refers to the solids with n between 20 and 40, inclusive.

The simplest paraffin molecule is that of methane, CH₄, a gas at room temperature. Heavier members of the series, such as that of octane, C₈H₁₈, and mineral oil appear as liquids at room temperature. The solid forms of paraffin, called paraffin wax, are from the heaviest molecules from C₂₀H₄₂ to C₄₀H₈₂. Paraffin wax was identified by Carl Reichenbach in 1830.