Saturated hydrocarbons are organic compounds that consist solely of carbon and hydrogen atoms, where all carbon-carbon bonds are single bonds. This means that each carbon atom is fully "saturated" with hydrogen atoms, resulting in a stable structure. Common examples of saturated hydrocarbons include alkanes, such as methane and octane. These compounds are typically found in natural sources like natural gas and crude oil. Due to their single bonds, saturated hydrocarbons are generally less reactive than unsaturated hydrocarbons, which contain double or triple bonds. This stability makes them useful as fuels and in various industrial applications.