Organic Chemistry

Chemistry---An Introduction

Before the birth of our Universe billions of years ago...there was no Energy or Matter! Even empty space did not exist! Then, an event we call the Big Bang...changed all that! Both energy and matter became part of our universe... and Chemistry was born!

The Science of Chemistry is pretty incredible... and will BLOW YOUR MIND! because it is science of ...everything. From stars AND computer hard drives ... to spines... from gold... to germs and we are all made up of different arrangements of atoms.

What are ATOMS ... how are atoms bonded together ...breaking apart, or reacting with each other all the time. If you think empty space is really empty ... meet quantum foam! This article is just about slice of that pie... organic chemistry .

Our sun and planets were born very long ago from nebula dust. They were made of all the atoms in nature. One of the MOST important of these atoms... was CARBON. Although it is just one of the 98 atomic elements in nature... CARBON is very SPECIAL!

CARBON can form chemical bonds ... with FOUR other atoms including ITSELF! As a result....it has the ability to form molecules... MILLIONS of atoms long! from plastics... to DNA from brain chemicals...to actual Brains! Carbon is the most important element...on Earth. The chemistry of Carbon...can start out simple... but get very complex.

Organic Chemistry Definition AND Origin

Scientific study of molecules having carbon atoms is called organic chemistry . This branch of chemistry primarily deals with the structure and chemical composition, the physical and chemical properties , and the chemical reactions undergone by organic compounds.

The term ‘organic’ was coined because initially organic compounds were considered as those obtained from living things , plants or animals . The early chemists never succeeded in synthesizing organic compounds and their failure led them to believe that organic compounds could be manufactured by and within living things and these compounds could never be synthesized by inorganic materials. This was attributed to some ‘vital force’ that was present in living organisms . The ‘vital force’ theory was rejected by Friedrick Wohler who synthesized urea from inorganic substance ammonium cyanate but the classification is still in use.

Organic Chemists

Organic chemistry is a highly creative science that allows chemists to create and explore molecules and compounds. Organic chemists develop new compounds and find better ways to synthesizing existing ones.

Importance Of Organic Chemistry

Organic compounds are all around us and their importance can hardly be overemphasized . Advancements in the field of organic chemistry have made tremendous contributions to human society .

Over the years , the chemists have learned to synthesize variety of organic compounds that include agrichemicals, coatings, cosmetics, detergent, dyes, food, fuel, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, several drugs, polymers, plastics, synthetic rubber , preservatives, paints , varnishes and fertilizers. Many of these synthetic compounds prevent the shortages of naturally occurring products.

Almost all the chemical reactions that take place in living systems , including our own bodies , are organic in nature because they involve such life molecules like proteins, enzymes, carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins and nucleic acids , all contain thousands of carbon atoms.

Carbon Technology

The carbon industry is one of the largest and most important industries. Carbon technology is vital to the production of medicines, paints, synthetic fabrics, food flavorings, plastics, cosmetics, and glues. The raw materials used for these products come from coal, crude oil, and natural gas.

Medicines

Combining organic (carbon) compounds in new ways has resulted in the formation of NEW medicines which are used to treat specific illnesses . New medicines undergo a series of tests to ensure they do not have any poisonous effects.

Paint

Paint pigments and the dyes that colour our clothes are mostly organic compounds. Pigments coat the surface of a material. Dyes bond with the molecule of the fabric they are coloring. The molecules of pigments and dyes consist of rings of carbon atoms.

Plastic

All plastics are organic compounds, produced from recycled plastic or from the products of coal, oil, and natural gas. Plastics have synthetic applications from flexible bags to hard chairs and are light and cheap to make. PLASTIC is made up of long chains of carbon atoms called polymers.

Carbon Fiber

Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) is heated to 3,000C (5,432F) to create thin filaments of carbon fibre. This material is fireproof and five times lighter than steel, yet twice as strong. Carbon fibre has many uses, such as in lightweight sports equipment, car body panels, construction pipes, and on the wings and nose of space shuttles.

RACING BIKES are often made from carbon fibre because it is strong and light, and can be molded into complex shapes. The carbon fibres are woven into a cloth which is then cut and layered in a mould. The moulded part is filled with a resin and then baked in an oven to form the hard, tough carbon fibre material.