Organic vs. Inorganic Compounds and Hydrocarbons

These flashcards cover key concepts related to organic and inorganic compounds, their properties, structures, and nomenclature.

Organic Compounds

Compounds that contain the element carbon, essential for food, fuels, and various materials.

Inorganic Compounds

Compounds that do not primarily contain carbon, often characterized by ionic bonding.

Functional Group

An atom or group of atoms responsible for the chemical properties of a molecule.

Friedrich Wöhler

The father of Organic Chemistry, who synthesized an organic compound from an inorganic source.

VITAL FORCE THEORY

The discredited theory that stated organic compounds could only be produced by living organisms.

Covalent Bonding

Bonding characteristic of organic compounds, involving the sharing of electron pairs.

Ionic Bonding

Bonding primarily found in inorganic compounds, characterized by the transfer of electrons.

Isomer

Compounds with the same molecular formula but different structures.

Alkane

A saturated hydrocarbon represented by the formula CnH2n+2.

Alkene

A hydrocarbon that contains at least one carbon-to-carbon double bond.

Alkyne

A hydrocarbon that contains at least one carbon-to-carbon triple bond.

Condensed Structural Formula

Shows the general arrangement of atoms without depicting all the bonds.

Molecular Formula

Lists the types and numbers of atoms in a molecule, without showing bonds.

Expanded Structural Formula

Depicts all atoms and bonds within a molecule.

IUPAC Nomenclature

The systematic naming convention for organic compounds established by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry.

Hydrocarbon

A compound composed entirely of hydrogen and carbon atoms, essential for understanding more complex organic molecules.