organic chem definitions - grade 11/12

a hydrocarbon

a compound containing only carbon and hydrogen atoms

      a saturated compound

a compound in which all of the bonds between carbon atoms are single bonds

an unsaturated compound

a compound in which there is at least one double bond and/or triple bond between carbon atoms

a functional group

an atom or group of atoms that form the centre of chemical activity in the molecule

a homologous series

a series of similar compounds which have the same functional group and have the same general formula, in which each member differs from the previous one by a single CH2 unit

structural isomer

compounds having the same molecular formula but different structural formulae

molecular formula

this form indicates the number of atoms of each element

empirical formula

this form indicates the simplest ratio of atoms of each element to one another

isomer

a compound having the same molecular formula but different structural formulae

electron negativity

a measure of attraction that an atom has for bonding electrons

elimination reaction

atoms or molecular fragments are removed from adjacent carbon atoms on a molecule leaving a double bond with nothing else having been added

addition reaction

a reaction where a double bond opens and new molecular fragments are added to the molecule at both ends of the double bond without anything being removed