...and why is it important?
Organic Chemistry, known as ‘The Chemistry of Life’, is one of the largest fields of Chemistry that exists on Earth and is concerned with the study of the structure, properties, composition, and reactions of carbon-containing compounds. These compounds, known as organic compounds, are composed of carbon and hydrogen molecules bonded together, but can also contain elements such as Nitrogen, Oxygen, Phosphorus, and Sulfur.
Organic compounds are very important because they form the basis of all life on Earth, and so without them, we wouldn’t be able to live. Some popular examples of important organic compounds include proteins, which are the structural and functional basis of living things, drug molecules, which are used to treat diseases, and petroleum compounds, which serve as important energy sources.
Questions (click 'Comments' and type your answers):
- What are some other fields of Chemistry that also exist and how are they linked to Organic Chemistry?
- Why is Carbon a critical element to all life (and thus why are organic compounds so important)?
- What are some other popular examples of Organic Compounds? What are their functions? (List 3)
- Morrison, R. T., & Boyd, R. N. (1992). Organic chemistry (6. ed.). Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall.
- Organic Chemistry. (n.d.).Penn Chemistry. Retrieved July 6, 2011, from www.chem.upenn.edu/chem/research/images/organic.jpg
2. Carbon is a critical element to all life because it is found in all living things. For something to be called living it must contain carbon in it. Organic compounds are therefore important because they ensure life.
ReplyDelete1-Biochemistry and it's linked to oraginc chemistry because it's the study of substances found in biological organisms.
ReplyDelete3.Propane, butane, polysaccharides, lipids
ReplyDeletePropane:propane uses range greatly. The common uses relate to heat, whether it is for a propane gas grill, torch, water heater, etc. there are also some unusual uses like propane powered vehicles.
polysaccharides: are used in living things for structure and storage. In plants, cellulose give structure to the cell walls, as does chitin in fungi and peptidoglycan in bacteria. All these carbohydrates are polysaccharides. In animals, glycogen ( branched glucose chains) is used as storage of energy and in plants starch performs the same job.
Polysaccharides are important to living things because a polysaccharide is just another way to store and hold glucose, which is the only thing that can provide energy to living organisms. It is just another very important alternative to store energy in living things.
Butane:We find butane gas bottled and sold as a fuel for cooking and camping. Butane is blended with propane and other hydrocarbons to make liquid petroleum gas (LPG). Butane is also used as a component in petrol, and as an industrial feedstock for base petrochemical production. It commonly seen as fuel for cigarette lighters, and as a propellant in aerosol sprays like deodorants. A link can be found below to check facts and learn more.
Lipids:Lipids are fats, waxes and oils that your body uses everyday to function. These organic molecules give the body structure, help produce energy, and even help control our vitamin and hormone usage within our bodies. Lipids are one of four major organic parts of our bodies that include lipids, proteins, carbohydrates and nucleic acids.