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Organic Chemistry

What is Organic?

The word organic is derived from the word Organism. Organic is something which is directly obtained from Nature or derivative of a nature. All Organic substances you will find are majorly formed of carbon and hydrogen. We all use organic substances/compounds such as all fossil fuels(diesel, petrol, gasoline, and natural gas), clothing, drugs, and cosmetics.

What is an Organic Chemistry?

Now, as you are well aware of the word Organic, it is easy for you to understand Organic Chemistry. Compounds containing carbon and hydrogen atoms are called Organic compounds. These organic compounds along with carbon and hydrogen may also contain oxygen and other non metallic elements such as Nitrogen, Sulphur, Halogens and Phosphorous in trace amounts. The branch of chemistry which studies properties, and reactions of organic compounds is called an Organic Chemistry. Carbohydrates, fats, proteins, caffeine, heroine, oxytocin, glucose, fructose, DNA, RNA, alcohols, Carboxylic acids and many others are examples of organic compounds.


Friedrich Wohler-the scientist who synthesized organic compound from inorganic compound.

Friedrich Wohler, image credit: Creative Commons

Classification of Organic and Inorganic substances/compounds in the Nineteenth Century for the first time:

Before eighteenth century it was believed that there is a kind of 'Vital force" found in only in living cells was capable of producing organic compounds and this perception was proved incorrect by Friedrich wohler. When he synthesized an organic compound, Urea by heating an inorganic compound ammonium cyanate. In the nineteenth century, scientists classified chemical compounds as organic or inorganic. In those times organic compounds was the substance produced from organisms and inorganic substance was composed of minerals.

Simplest Organic Compound:

Methane is the simplest organic compound. In Methane single carbon atom bonded to the four hydrogen atoms. Four valence electrons of single carbon atom are shared with 4 valence electrons from 4 hydrogen atom to form four covalent 4(C----H) bonds in one methane molecue.(Refer figure below)

Simplest organic compound-Methane

Organic Compounds- Alkanes:

Organic compounds containing carbon and hydrogen atoms attached by a single bond are called alkanes. Alkanes are named on the basis of the number of carbon atom they contain, which is as follows in the figure below:

Organic compounds-Alkanes

The figure above shows 10 organic compounds of alkane family, each named on the basis of number of carbon atom they contain. The alkanes with 1-4 carbon atoms are called lower alkanes or smaller alkanes. This lower alkanes or smaller alkanes are gases at room temperature and used as fuels and the alkanes with 5-8 carbon atoms are called higher alkanes. These higher alkanes are liquid at room temperature. Example: Gasoline.

Molecular formula of any molecule of any compound shows only number of atoms of each type the molecule contains and not the arrangement of atoms. The figure below shows the molecular formula of methane(CH4)  and the structural formula of methane, in which 4 hydrogen atoms arranged on the four side of one carbon atom forming four {4(C----H)} covalent bonds.

Molecular formula and structural formula of Methane.


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