Intro to organic chemistry

Question 1

What is organic chemistry?

Answer 1

The chemistry of carbon compounds

Question 2

What is special about carbon?

Answer 2

can form rings and long chains that may be branched because:

has four electrons in its outer shell and forms four covalent bonds

carbon-carbon bonds are relatively strong and non poler

Question 3

What is displayed formula?

Answer 3

shows every atom and bond in the molecule

Question 4

What is structural formula?

Answer 4

shows the unique arrangement of atoms in a molecule in a simplified form without showing all the bonds

each carbon is written separately with atoms or groups that are attached to it

e.g. CH3CH3

branches are shown in brackets

Question 5

What are free radicals?

Answer 5

a covalent bond may break in such a way that one electron goes to each atom that orginally formed the bond

these fragments of the original molecule have an unpaired electron and are called free radicals

these are usually extremely reactive