by
Lucy Bell-Young
The main difference between organic and inorganic chemistry is the presence (or absence) of carbon in the compounds that are being studied, processed, or synthesised. The main concern of organic chemistry is compounds that have carbon or carbon chains in them, like hydrocarbons or proteins. Inorganic chemistry, on the other hand, is concerned with things like metals, minerals, and organometallic compounds.
In terms of methodologies, techniques, and fundamental concepts, both organic and inorganic chemistry deal with various types of compounds, chemical reactions, and properties. In this article, we’ll explore the similarities, differences, and relationship between organic and inorganic chemistry.
What Is Organic And Inorganic Chemistry?Both organic chemistry and inorganic chemistry are concerned with the properties, reactions, structures, and synthesis of various chemicals:
Both of these scientific branches use analytical laboratory techniques and instrumentations to study the behaviors and reactions of the compounds within their discipline. There are three key areas that are looked at:
Once the properties, reactivity, and structure of a compound have been determined, this information serves as the basis for synthesising that substance or creating an analogue of it. For example, the scents of fruits can be mimicked using synthetic chemical analogues.
How Is Organic Chemistry Distinguished From Inorganic Chemistry?Organic chemistry can be distinguished from inorganic chemistry by looking at the types of compounds each field studies. We’ll start with inorganic chemistry, which is all about understanding the properties of inorganic substances. This branch also deals with synthesising various inorganic chemicals that have economic and industrial value, including ammonia, chlorine, and hydrochloric acid.
Meanwhile, organic chemistry is focused on studying and synthesising any carbon-based compound, like hydrocarbons, as well as their derivatives, like plastics. In this way, organic chemistry has some overlaps with inorganic chemistry:
Organic chemistry also has overlaps with biochemistry, which plays an important part in this discipline because both subjects look at organic reactions and study important biochemical molecules. That said, compared to organic chemistry, biochemistry is more specifically focused on the complex chemical processes in living organisms, such as how proteins fold in specific ways to form certain enzymes or hormones.
Both organic and inorganic chemistry are necessary in the production of fuelThere are proper ways to dispose of organic and inorganic waste, depending on which type you have. You can also find these protocols and procedures formalised in local ordinances, national laws, regional regulations, and international treaties.
Both organic and inorganic waste have potentially hazardous environmental impacts, as well as associated health risks. At the same time, not all wastes have the same potential to cause harm:
Therefore, the appropriate disposal method of any waste product will depend on what it is and how hazardous it is. For instance, liquid waste shouldn’t be disposed of in any body of water.
Generally, waste can be classified into four main categories, and they all contain a mix of organic and inorganic compounds:
All metals are inorganic because they’re either in elemental forms or alloy forms. Even if they contain traces of carbon, such as in the case of steel, they’re not chemically bonded to carbon, nor does carbon serve as the dominant backbone element. This is why metals are inorganic.
Are Vitamins Organic Or Inorganic?All vitamins are organic compounds because they contain carbon and are synthesised in living organisms. The human body needs 13 types of vitamins, which are classified as micronutrients that mainly serve as coenzymes to facilitate metabolic processes. Vitamins can be grouped into two main classes:
Vitamins are present in virtually all living organisms at varying levels. Some are synthesised by animals through their skin and liver, while others can be found in a wide range of plants. Vitamins always contain carbon in various arrangements and chemical combinations, along with other functional groups or elements. This is why all vitamins are organic.
Both organic and inorganic chemistry use analytical techniques to investigate organic and inorganic substances, respectivelyWe know that nitric acid is an inorganic compound because its chemical formula (HNO3) tells us that each molecule in this compound has one hydrogen atom, one nitrogen atom, and three oxygen atoms. Although it’s used as a precursor to nitrogen organic compounds, nitric acid itself obviously doesn’t contain any carbon, which is why it’s classed as an inorganic compound.
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