Alkanes - Introduction to carbon compounds Flashcards
What is organic chemistry primarily concerned with?
Organic chemistry is primarily concerned with the chemistry of compounds of carbon.
What role does cellulose play in living organisms?
Cellulose provides structural tissue in plants.
Besides carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, what additional element do proteins contain?
Nitrogen
What natural source does quinine come from?
Quinine is found in the bark of trees of the genus Cinchona.
What is the chemical formula for sucrose?
C12H22O11.
How did the production of sugar from sugar cane impact history?
The production of sugar from sugar cane was a driving force behind the transatlantic slave trade and the eventual formation of modern West Indian societies.
What has been the historical significance of quinine?
Quinine was the most important drug for the treatment of malaria for many years.
What important natural compounds can be formed from cholesterol?
It is the starting material for the formation of important natural compounds such as sex hormones.
What is biosynthesis?
It is the synthesis of compounds carried out by living organisms.
What is cholesterol, and where is it found?
Animals.
What health issues can arise due to an accumulation of cholesterol?
Strokes and heart attacks.
Why might some natural organic compounds not be synthesized in the laboratory?
Some natural organic compounds are extremely large and complex macromolecules that probably no one will synthesize.
How do living organisms synthesize complex molecules compared to laboratory methods?
Living organisms synthesize complex molecules from simple starting materials with remarkable speed and efficiency, often using carbon dioxide and water in plants or glucose in animals.
What is the significance of carbon in chemistry?
Carbon is significant because it has a major division of chemistry devoted to it, known as organic chemistry, and an enormous number of carbon compounds (around 20 million) have been described.
Where is carbon located on the periodic table?
Period 2
What is a covalent bond?
It is a connection between two atomic nuclei formed by sharing a pair of electrons.
What happens to peroxides like hydrogen peroxide (H–O–O–H)?
Peroxides are reactive oxidizing agents because their O–O bonds are weak and easily break.
Which elements are compared to carbon in terms of bonding behavior?
Lithuim (an alkali metal) and fluorine (a halogen) are compared to carbon.
How do bonds such as S–S, N–N, and O–O compare to carbon bonds?
Bonds such as S–S, N–N, and O–O are all weaker than the bonds to carbon.
What bonds do carbon readily form with other elements?
Hydrogen (C-H), Oxygen (C–O) and Nitrogen.
What type of compounds do lithium and fluorine typically form?
Lithium forms ionic compounds as the cation Li+, and fluorine forms compounds as the fluoride anion F−.
How do ionic compounds like NaCl differ from covalent compounds?
Ionic compounds are held together by the attraction between cations and anions without specific bond pairs, whereas covalent compounds involve shared electron pairs that create stable bonds between specific atoms.
Which elements are most commonly found in natural organic compounds?
Carbon (C), Hydrogen (H), Oxygen (O), and Nitrogen (N).
Why is carbon considered versatile in forming compounds?
Carbon’s ability to form stable covalent bonds, including C–C bonds and a variety of other combinations with different elements, makes it highly versatile in forming compounds.
What is the role of carbon in the formation of complex molecules?
Carbon’s ability to form long chains and complex structures through C–C bonds allows for the creation of intricate organic molecules.
Are carbon compounds reactive?
While many carbon compounds are stable, some can be reactive, especially those containing functional groups involving oxygen or nitrogen.
What is the effect of the central position of carbon in the periodic table?
The central position of carbon allows it to exhibit properties of both metals and nonmetals, facilitating its ability to create diverse chemical bonds.
How does the bond energy of carbon compare to that of other elements?
The bond energy of carbon is generally higher than that of bonds formed by other elements like sulfur, nitrogen, and oxygen, making C–C and C–H bonds particularly strong.
