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Chapter 2: Problem 16

What is the fundamental difference between an organic substance and an inorganic substance? Write chemical formulas of three inorganic molecules that contain carbon.

Short Answer

Expert verified
Organic substances have C-H bonds and complex structures; examples of inorganic carbon compounds include CO鈧�, Na鈧侰O鈧�, and CaC鈧�.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding Organic vs. Inorganic Substances

Organic substances primarily consist of carbon atoms bonded typically with hydrogen, oxygen, and other carbon atoms, forming complex structures like chains or rings. In contrast, inorganic substances can contain a variety of elements, and if they contain carbon, it's not in the same chain or ring structures. Generally, inorganic compounds might not include hydrogen with carbon.
02

Identification of Inorganic Compounds Containing Carbon

Inorganic carbon compounds do exist, and they typically do not have the C-H bonds common in organic molecules. Examples include carbon oxides, carbonates, and cyanides.
03

Listing Examples of Inorganic Carbon Compounds

Here are three inorganic molecules containing carbon: 1. Carbon dioxide: CO鈧� 2. Sodium carbonate: Na鈧侰O鈧� 3. Calcium carbide: CaC鈧�

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Organic substances
Organic substances are mainly characterized by the presence of carbon atoms forming stable covalent bonds. These are often accompanied by hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, and other elements. The key feature of these compounds is the arrangement of carbon atoms into chains and rings, which can be branched or unbranched, allowing for a vast array of complex molecules. Because of this structure, organic substances often have a significant level of complexity.

Some common examples of organic compounds include:
  • Alkanes, which are simple chains of carbon and hydrogen, such as methane (CH鈧�).
  • Alcohols, like ethanol (C鈧侶鈧匫H), which contain a hydroxyl (OH) group.
  • Sugars, which are carbohydrates providing energy to living organisms.
Organic chemistry primarily deals with the study of these carbon compounds and their reactions.
Inorganic substances
Inorganic substances encompass a wide range of materials that are not primarily carbon-based. Unlike organic compounds, inorganic compounds can consist of elements from different groups of the periodic table and often do not include carbon-hydrogen bonds. These substances often have simpler structures compared to organic compounds but can still form a variety of molecular geometries.

Some examples of inorganic substances include:
  • Salts, like sodium chloride (NaCl).
  • Oxides, such as silicon dioxide (SiO鈧�).
  • Minerals, which are naturally occurring substances formed through geological processes.
Inorganic chemistry focuses on understanding these types of compounds and includes studying metals, ceramics, and other non-organic materials.
Chemical formulas
Chemical formulas are essential tools in chemistry as they convey important information about the composition of substances. A chemical formula tells you which elements are present in a compound and how many atoms of each element are involved. They allow scientists to easily understand and predict the behavior of substances in various reactions.

There are different types of chemical formulas including:
  • Empirical formulas, which show the simplest ratio of elements in a compound.
  • Molecular formulas, which reveal the actual number of atoms of each element in a molecule.
  • Structural formulas, which display the arrangement of atoms within the molecule.
For example, the molecular formula for glucose is C鈧咹鈧佲倐O鈧�, indicating 6 carbon, 12 hydrogen, and 6 oxygen atoms.
Carbon compounds
Carbon compounds form the backbone of organic chemistry, primarily due to carbon's ability to bond with itself and other elements. This versatility is what allows for the immense diversity of organic compounds.

Carbon can form strong covalent bonds and the ability to create complex structures, such as:
  • Single bonds in alkanes, like ethane (C鈧侶鈧�).
  • Double bonds in alkenes, such as ethene (C鈧侶鈧�).
  • Triple bonds in alkynes, with acetylene (C鈧侶鈧�) as an example.
Additionally, carbon's ability to form stable bonds with elements such as hydrogen and oxygen underpins the existence of functional groups, which are responsible for the specific chemical properties of molecules.

Understanding the basic principles of carbon bonding is crucial for studying organic reactions and the synthesis of new compounds.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Give one example (atomic symbol and name) for each of the following. a. a transition element in the fifth period b. a halogen c. a main-group (representative) element in the second period d. an actinide element

Balance the following equations. a. \(\mathrm{Cl}_{2} \mathrm{O}_{7}+\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O} \longrightarrow \mathrm{HClO}_{4}\) b. \(\mathrm{MnO}_{2}+\mathrm{HCl} \longrightarrow \mathrm{MnCl}_{2}+\mathrm{Cl}_{2}+\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}\) c. \(\mathrm{Na}_{2} \mathrm{~S}_{2} \mathrm{O}_{3}+\mathrm{I}_{2} \longrightarrow \mathrm{NaI}+\mathrm{Na}_{2} \mathrm{~S}_{4} \mathrm{O}_{6}\) d. \(\mathrm{Al}_{4} \mathrm{C}_{3}+\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O} \longrightarrow \mathrm{Al}(\mathrm{OH})_{3}+\mathrm{CH}_{4}\) e. \(\mathrm{NO}_{2}+\mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O} \longrightarrow \mathrm{HNO}_{3}+\mathrm{NO}\)

There are \(2.619 \times 10^{22}\) atoms in \(1.000 \mathrm{~g}\) of sodium. Assume that sodium atoms are spheres of radius \(1.86 \AA\) and that they are lined up side by side. How many miles in length is the line of sodium atoms?

A friend is trying to balance the following equation: $$ \mathrm{N}_{2}+\mathrm{H}_{2} \longrightarrow \mathrm{NH}_{3} $$ He presents you with his version of the "balanced" equation: $$ \mathrm{N}+\mathrm{H}_{3} \longrightarrow \mathrm{NH}_{3} $$ You immediately recognize that he has committed a serious error; however, he argues that there is nothing wrong, since the equation is balanced. What reason can you give to convince him that his "method" of balancing the equation is flawed?

Write the formulas of the following compounds. a. nitrogen tribromide b. xenon tetroxide c. oxygen difluoride d. dichlorine pentoxide
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