Introduction to organic compounds
chains
branched chains
rings
methane ethane
propane
Organic chemistry is the study of carbon-containing compounds.
The great variety of carbon compounds is due to the fact that carbon atoms can bond to each other in chains, branched chains and rings.
All carbon compounds have one thing in common; each carbon atom is involved in four bonds.
The simplest classes of carbon compounds are known as hydrocarbons because they only contain carbon and hydrogen.
There are more carbon-containing compounds than the total of all other compounds. Most of the food you eat and the substances in your body and in your environment are organic compounds.
The great variety of carbon compounds is due to the fact that carbon atoms can bond to each other in chains, branched chains and rings.
All carbon compounds have one thing in common; each carbon atom is involved in four bonds.
The simplest classes of carbon compounds are known as hydrocarbons because they only contain carbon and hydrogen.
Methane has four bonds from carbon to hydrogen.
Ethane has one carbon-carbon bond, with three bonds at each carbon to hydrogen.
Ethane has one carbon-carbon bond, with three bonds at each carbon to hydrogen.
Each bond in methane, ethane and propane is referred to as a single bond because two electrons are shared between the bonded atoms.
Single bonds are represented as shown by drawing a line between the bonded atoms.
The number of bonds to carbon in hydrocarbons is always four.
As shown in the structures of ethane and propane these four bonds may be to other carbons or to hydrogen.