🧪 Organic Chemistry — Intro#

Scope — Carbon-based compounds, common functional groups, and why carbon forms such diverse molecular structures.

Key concepts#

• Carbon bonding — tetravalent carbon forms single, double, and triple bonds, enabling chains and rings.
• Functional groups — characteristic atom groupings (e.g., hydroxyl, carbonyl, amine) that determine reactivity.
• Hydrocarbons — alkanes, alkenes, and alkynes as foundational organic families.

Seed Q&A triads#

• Q: Why is carbon uniquely suited to form complex molecules?
  A: Carbon forms stable covalent bonds with itself and many other elements, allowing long chains, branching, and rings.

• Q: What is a functional group and why does it matter?
  A: A functional group is a specific arrangement of atoms that gives a molecule characteristic chemical behavior.

• Q: How do alkanes differ from alkenes and alkynes?
  A: Alkanes have single C–C bonds, alkenes have at least one double bond, and alkynes have at least one triple bond.

Quick activities#

• Identify the functional groups in ethanol, acetone, and acetic acid.