Natural gas is a mixture of gases and contains mainly

Natural gas is a fossil fuel and a mixture of gaseous hydrocarbons. Its primary constituent is methane (CH4), which typically accounts for 80% to 99% of its composition [2]. Beyond methane, natural gas contains varying amounts of "higher hydrocarbons" or heavier alkanes, which include ethane (C2H6), propane (C3H8), butane (C4H10), and pentane [2]. These additional components are often referred to as natural gas liquids (NGLs) [2]. While raw natural gas may contain trace impurities like nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide, it does not primarily consist of hydrogen or carbon monoxide, which are characteristic of manufactured gases like water gas or producer gas. Therefore, the most accurate description of natural gas is a mixture containing mainly methane and higher hydrocarbons.

Sources

1. [2] Science , class X (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 4: Carbon and its Compounds > 4.2.2 Chains, Branches and Rings > p. 64