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While studying organic chemistry, we usually come across the words Primary, Secondary, tertiary, and quaternary. Carbon atoms as well as functional groups in an organic molecule can be said to be primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary.

Identifying the functional groups in terms of primary secondary and tertiary is very important since the properties and reactivities vary depending on whether it is primary, secondary, or tertiary.

Whether the carbon is primary, secondary, tertiary, or quaternary depends upon the number of other carbons directly attached to it.

In the case of functional groups, we count the number of carbon atoms attached to the carbon atom bonded to the functional group. For example-

First draw a carbon skeleton such that it contains, at least one carbon atom attached to one carbon atom and another carbon atom, that is attached to three other carbon atoms, and then add hydrogens to each carbon satisfying the valency of carbon.

(b)Has no secondary or tertiary carbons

Draw a structure where a carbon atom is attached only to one other carbon atom. No carbon should be there, present in the structure, that is bonded either to two or three other carbon atoms.

(c) Has four Secondary carbons