Science Chap 11 Sect 1

What is an organic compound?

a compound in which carbon is covalently bonded to other carbons and to other types of atoms

How many bonds can a carbon atom form with other atoms?

four

How many electrons are shared in a double bond?

4, or two pair

Petroleum products such as gasoline are made of compounds containing carbon. How can you use this clue to hypothesize where petroleum originally comes from?

Organic compounds found in nature are derived from living things, so petroleum must come from living things, or things that were once living.

Does your body need more than six elements? If so, can you name one or more?

Other elements, such as iron, calcium, sodium, and potassium, make up the other 2.4%.

What are the six most common elements found in organic compounds?

The six most common elements found in organic compounds are, in descending order, oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur.

What is the largest number of atoms a carbon atom can bond to with all single bonds?

four

What are the three types of bonds that a carbon atom can form with another atom?

single, double, or triple bonds

What are the three kinds of carbon backbones?

straight chain, branched chain, and ring

What if one of the bonds is a double bond?

three

What if one of the bonds is a triple bond?

two

How many electrons are shared in a single bond?

two, or a pair

How can an organic compound exist without Csingle bonds between the carbons?

Carbon atoms can form double bonds by sharing two pairs of electrons; they can also form triple bonds by sharing three pairs of electrons.

What properties of carbon make it important for living organisms?

Carbon is an element capable of making bonds with other carbon atoms or atoms of other elements. Carbon has four valence electrons that can form four bonds. (All living things contain organic compounds.)

Name an example of an organic compound made by scientists. How is it used to benefit people?

Answers will vary and may include vitamins, antibiotics, pain medicines such as aspirin, and synthetic oils for use as energy alternatives.