Organic Chemistry

Organic chemistry is a branch of chemistry that focuses on molecules that contain carbon, more specifically molecules that contain carbon to carbon bonds. The term organic chemistry was given to this study because it was (incorrectly) believed that only living organisms could produce this type of molecule. It was later determined that organic molecules could be synthesized in a laboratory, but the name stayed in place.

Organic molecules are everywhere, including our DNA, the foods that we eat and the muscles in our body. The constant of every organic molecule is that it does contain at least one atom of carbon. The backbone of organic chemistry focuses around the bonding of that carbon atom.

Carbon has four valence electrons so it will form four bonds in almost all of its compounds. It is very versatile and has a unique way of bonding with other carbon atoms. This allows it to form long chains or even rings. Polymers, fats, and aromatic compounds all stem from the unique bonding of carbon atoms.

The amount of organic molecules that exist today is staggering. Because of this, organic chemists have had to develop ways of organizing organic molecules into smaller systems. Functional groups, naming systems and organic synthesis reactions are all units that will be discovered while studying organic chemistry.