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An organic compound is any of a large class of chemical compounds whose molecules contain carbon, with the exception of carbides, carbonates, Cyanides and carbon oxides. Organic compounds are studied in organic chemistry ; many of them, such as proteins , fats , and carbohydrates ( sugars ), are also of prime importance in biochemistry .
Synthetic organic chemistry is an applied science as it borders engineering, the "design, analysis, and/or construction of works for practical purposes". [28] Organic synthesis of a novel compound is a problem-solving task, where a synthesis is designed for a target molecule by selecting optimal reactions from optimal starting materials.
A chemical element, often simply called an element, is a type of atom which has a specific number of protons in its atomic nucleus (i.e., a specific atomic number, or Z). [ 1 ] The definitive visualisation of all 118 elements is the periodic table of the elements , whose history along the principles of the periodic law was one of the founding ...
The following list identifies in rank order the possible biological roles of the chemical elements, ranging from a score of 5 for elements essential to all living things, to a score of 1 for elements that have no known effects on living things. There are also letter scores for special functions of the elements.
Organic chemistry is the study of organic, or carbon based, molecules.Carbon is the only element that can make bonds with itself so that chains are produced, silicon has similar properties, but Carbon is a main element in everyday life, and thus, is lucky enough to have a whole subject in chemistry dedicated to it.
Vitalism taught that formation of these "organic" compounds were fundamentally different from the "inorganic" compounds that could be obtained from the elements by chemical manipulations in laboratories. [9] [10] Vitalism survived for a short period after the formulation of modern ideas about the atomic theory and chemical elements.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to organic chemistry: . Organic chemistry is the scientific study of the structure, properties, composition, reactions, and preparation (by synthesis or by other means) of carbon-based compounds, hydrocarbons, and their derivatives.
Organic molecules can also be made by chemical reactions that do not involve life. [2] Basic structures are created from cellulose, tannin, cutin, and lignin, along with other various proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates. Organic matter is very important in the movement of nutrients in the environment and plays a role in water retention on the ...