1. Organic vs. Inorganic Compounds
Another way of classifying chemical compounds…

2. Organic Compounds
In science, organic compounds contain carbon (C), and usually hydrogen (H)
Sometimes other types of atoms are also attached, including: oxygen, halogens, and nitrogen

3. Is that why foods are called“organic”?
Organic actually derives from “coming from life”, because the compounds that plants and animals make are all C-compounds
This is not the meaning of organic foods though!
In this case organic refer to being produced without chemicals (ironically many of these chemicals are actually ORGANIC compounds!)

4. Inorganic Compounds
Inorganic compounds do not contain carbon with three exceptions:
Carbon Monoxide and Carbon Dioxide
Compounds containing cyanide (CN-) and carbonate (CO3-) ions
Acids containing C—these can be identified because H is written before the C!

5. Why are organic compounds so special?
Carbon has four electrons in its valence shell, which allows for more chemical bonding possibilities than any other element.
Long chains of carbons
form petroleum and plastics
Some cyclic (“circular”) rings of carbons form pesticides
The acetaminophen molecule:
the active ingredient in Tylenol

6. Hydrocarbons
A hydrocarbon is an organic compound that contains only carbon and hydrogen.
Hydrocarbons are based on a carbon “backbone”, or chain, with hydrogen atoms added on the sides

7. You know about hydrocarbons already!
The simplest hydrocarbons are ones that you might recognize and have even used!
Methane (CH4)--- main component of natural gas
Ethane (C2H6)--- also found in natural gas
Propane (C3H8) --- used as a fuel for BBQs
Butane (C4H10) --- an extremely flammable fluid used in industrial torches
Octane (C8H18)---a combustible liquid in gasoline
All hydrocarbons are flammable, and most are liquids at room temperature

8. Alcohols are hydrocarbons too…
Alcohols are organic compounds with C, H and O.
The simplest alcohols are:
Methanol (CH4O)--- used in labs as a solvent but causes blindness!
Ethanol (C2H6O)---is a psychoactive drug (present in alcohol), but is now being considered as a fuel source
Isopropyl alcohol (C3H8O)---rubbing alcohol used to sterile cuts
Alcohols are generally very flammable
MUST END IN (OH)

9. ORGANIC OR NOT???
DNA
ORGANIC---DNA is has a sugar backbone, which consists of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen

10. ORGANIC OR NOT??? Vegetable Oil
ORGANIC--- oils and fats are long-chain carbon compounds, which are used by living things as a way of storing energy

11. ORGANIC OR NOT??? Sulphuric Acid
NOT! Sulphuric acid (H2SO4) is the strong acid found in car batteries, but doesn’t contain carbon and isn’t organic

12. ORGANIC OR NOT??? Corn starch
ORGANIC! Starch is produced by plants as a way of storing sugars that they don’t need right away

13. ORGANIC OR NOT??? Copper (II) Sulphate
NOT! Copper (II) sulphate is a beautiful blue crystal, but does not contain carbon and is definitely not organic!

14. Three different representations:
Structural formula- lists the elements and their proportions in the order they are bonded
Methane CH4
Methanol CH3OH
Acetic Acid (Vinegar)
CH3COOH

15. Three different representations:
Ball-and-stick model- each element is given a different colour and/or size and the picture shows how many and how the elements are bonded
Each black ball represent C… Each white ball represents H…
The red ball represents O…
This is Ethanol! (alcohol group -0H)

16. Three different representations:
Space-filling model- similar to a ball-and-stick model, but an animated model that shows how elements are connected
Methylisocyanate- a valuable synthetic component for biology CH3N=C=S
Heme- the iron-containing component of hemoglobin, C34H32FeN4O4