Why Organic chemistry is the study of carbon?

Why Organic chemistry is the study of carbon?

Organic chemistry studies carbon-containing molecules and the compounds they form. Organic chemists look at the reactions, the structure and composition, the properties and how organic molecules can be prepared. These organic molecules make up the building blocks for living things, so you are a carbon-based life form.

What are the four major classes of organic compounds studied in biology?

There are four major classes of biological macromolecules:

• carbohydrates.
• lipids.
• proteins.
• nucleic acids.

How many known compounds are there?

Globally, more than 350,000 chemical compounds (including mixtures of chemicals) have been registered for production and use. A compound can be converted to a different chemical substance by interaction with a second substance via a chemical reaction.

What is a compound symbol?

Compounds are represented by chemical formulas. Elements in a compound are represented by chemical symbols, and the ratio of different elements is represented by subscripts. There are different rules for writing the chemical formulas for ionic and covalent compounds.

Which pair of compounds can be classified as inorganic?

Carbon compounds such as carbides (e.g., silicon carbide [SiC2]), some carbonates (e.g., calcium carbonate [CaCO3]), some cyanides (e.g., sodium cyanide [NaCN]), graphite, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide are classified as inorganic.

Why is the study of organic and inorganic compounds important in our lives?

Organic and inorganic compounds play important role in industries such as the rubber, plastics, fuel, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, detergent, coatings, dyestuffs, and agrichemicals industries. The foundations of biochemistry, biotechnology, and medicine are built on organic compounds and their role in life processes.

What is the primary reason for the large numbers of organic compounds?

Catenation: The unique property of the ‘C’ element to be able to form continuous links with other ‘C’ atoms through covalency called catenation, is one reason for the existence of a large number of organic compounds.