Which of the following is the petroleum wax?
(1) Beeswax
(2) Carnauba wax
(3) Paraffin wax
(4) Jojoba wax
Answer: (3) Waxes are a class of chemical compounds that are plastic (malleable) near ambient temperatures. Characteristically, they melt above 45 °C (113 °F) to give a low viscosity liquid. Waxes are insoluble in water but soluble in organic, non-polar solvents. All waxes are organic compounds, both synthetic and naturally occurring. Although most natural waxes are esters, paraffin waxes are hydrocarbons, and Paraffin waxes are mixtures of saturated and iso-alkanes, naphthenes, and alkyl- and naphthene-substituted aromatic compounds.
