A hydrocarbon is a chemical made of only two kinds of atom: hydrogen and carbon. Nothing else sits in the mix.

A hydrocarbon碳氫化合物 is a chemical是一種化學物質 made of only two kinds of atom只由兩種原子組成 hydrogen and carbon氫和碳 Nothing else沒有別的東西 sits in the mix混在裡面

Natural gas is mostly methane, which is a hydrocarbon. Petrol and many oils are mixtures of hydrocarbons.

Natural gas天然氣 is mostly methane主要是甲烷 which is a hydrocarbon而甲烷就是一種碳氫化合物 Petrol and many oils汽油和很多油 are mixtures of hydrocarbons是碳氫化合物的混合物

People sometimes point at coal and say hydrocarbon too, because coal comes from old plants and is full of carbon, but that is a loose way of talking — coal is a messy mix, not a neat hydrocarbon.

People sometimes有些人有時候 point at coal and say hydrocarbon too也會指著煤說那是碳氫化合物 because coal comes from old plants因為煤是從古老植物來的 and is full of carbon又富含碳 but that is a loose way of talking但那是不精確的說法 coal is a messy mix煤是雜亂的混合物 not a neat hydrocarbon不是乾淨俐落的碳氫化合物

In science class the word is tight; in news about “hydrocarbon fuels” it often stretches to mean oil, gas, and coal together. You will hear that stretch, and it is a little sloppy.

In science class在理化課上 the word is tight這個字的定義很嚴謹 in news about "hydrocarbon fuels"在新聞說「碳氫燃料」的時候 it often stretches to mean oil, gas, and coal together常常會被放寬，指石油、天然氣、煤合在一起 You will hear that stretch你會聽到這種放寬的用法 and it is a little sloppy而那有點不夠精確

Burning hydrocarbons is still how many cars and power stations get energy, and it is also what sends extra carbon dioxide into the air.

Burning hydrocarbons燃燒碳氫化合物 is still how many cars and power stations get energy仍然是很多汽車和發電廠取得能量的方式 and it is also what sends extra carbon dioxide into the air也是把多餘二氧化碳送進空氣裡的原因

Though actually the hydro- here is not “water power.” It points to hydrogen, which was named from water.

Though actually不過其實 the hydro- here這裡的hydro- is not "water power"不是指「水力」 It points to hydrogen它指的是氫 which was named from water而氫這個名字是從水來的