Admin Table of Contents
What is the foundation of organic compounds?
Organic chemistry is the study of the structure, properties, composition, reactions, and preparation of carbon-containing compounds. Most organic compounds contain carbon and hydrogen, but they may also include any number of other elements (e.g., nitrogen, oxygen, halogens, phosphorus, silicon, sulfur).
What elements must a compound be considered organic?
carbon
organic compound, any of a large class of chemical compounds in which one or more atoms of carbon are covalently linked to atoms of other elements, most commonly hydrogen, oxygen, or nitrogen. The few carbon-containing compounds not classified as organic include carbides, carbonates, and cyanides.
Which element is the foundation of all organic macromolecules?
The fundamental component for all of these macromolecules is carbon. The carbon atom has unique properties that allow it to form covalent bonds to as many as four different atoms, making this versatile element ideal to serve as the basic structural component, or “backbone,” of the macromolecules.
What two elements are in all organic compounds?
This means that all organic compounds have in common the presence of carbon atoms and hydrogen atoms. In addition, different organic compounds may contain oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorous, and other elements.
What does organic mean in organic chemistry?
the chemistry of carbon
With very few exceptions a chemical is classified as organic if it contains at least one carbon atom, regardless of its source. This is why organic chemistry is called “the chemistry of carbon.” Generally that carbon atom is bonded to at least one hydrogen atom.
What makes up the molecules of an organic compound?
Organic compounds contain carbon, almost always bonded to another carbon and/or hydrogen. Sometimes, other elements, such as phosphorus, nitrogen and oxygen, are also bound to carbons. There are a few carbon compounds that are not considered organic molecules.
Are there any compounds that are not organic compounds?
There are a few carbon compounds which are not considered organic molecules. Those involve carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, cyanates, cyanides and other carbon-containing ion compounds. Alcohols include chemicals such as ethanol and isopropanol. They are used as antiseptics and ethanol is a staple of the beverage industry.
Why are organic compounds important to all living organisms?
Organic compounds are essential because they contain carbon in all living organisms. They are the basic components that move the world in many of the cycles. For example, the carbon cycle which involves exchanging carbon in photosynthesis and cell respiration between plants and animals.
How are functional groups used to classify organic compounds?
Organic compounds can also be classified on the basis of functional groups into families or homologous series. The functional group can be defined as an atom or a group of atoms that are joined together in a specific manner which is responsible for the characteristic chemical properties of organic compounds.