Sciencemadness Discussion Board

What is Organic Chemistry?

Daniela - 15-3-2013 at 00:13

What is Organic Chemistry?

arsphenamine - 15-3-2013 at 07:21

The term is historical. It meant compounds found in and created by biological systems. Their creation was thought to require a "vital force", itself a recrudescent phlogiston theory perhaps.

After Wohler synthesized urea from inorganic compounds ~200 yrs ago, the vital force requirement was in final disrepute.

Today, organic chemistry is the study of compounds comprised of hydrogen in combination with 1st and 2nd row elements. It is not exclusive to those, only often those.



[Edited on 15-3-2013 by arsphenamine]

hissingnoise - 15-3-2013 at 07:23

You're answering spam . . .

Bot0nist - 15-3-2013 at 07:51

where's the hyperlink though? Not very usefull to the spammer, I woulnt think. It is unlike the vast majority of advertisment based spam we get.

hissingnoise - 15-3-2013 at 12:42

The link wasn't posted but it's spam, nonetheless . . .

DraconicAcid - 15-3-2013 at 13:05

Quote: Originally posted by arsphenamine  

Today, organic chemistry is the study of compounds comprised of hydrogen in combination with 1st and 2nd row elements. It is not exclusive to those, only often those.

Bolding mine.

Not carbon?

I once had a student who laughed out loud when I told the class we'd be covering organic chemistry later in the semester. Apparently, "organic" means "without chemicals", so I obviously blundered by making such a statement.

[Edited on 15-3-2013 by DraconicAcid]

neptunium - 15-3-2013 at 14:17

Quote: Originally posted by arsphenamine  


I once had a student who laughed out loud when I told the class we'd be covering organic chemistry later in the semester. Apparently, "organic" means "without chemicals", so I obviously blundered by making such a statement.



wow! what a strange world we live in! how old was this kid?

Magpie - 15-3-2013 at 14:29

My mother-in-law thought it had to do with growing organic vegetables. :o

DraconicAcid - 15-3-2013 at 16:33

Quote: Originally posted by neptunium  
Quote: Originally posted by arsphenamine  


I once had a student who laughed out loud when I told the class we'd be covering organic chemistry later in the semester. Apparently, "organic" means "without chemicals", so I obviously blundered by making such a statement.



wow! what a strange world we live in! how old was this kid?

In the twenty-five to thirty range, I think. When I told them that "everything we eat is a chemical", it was interpreted as meaning, "I refuse to eat anything but McDonald's."

franklyn - 16-3-2013 at 11:14

That branch of materials science where atoms do as they
damn well please and you can't do anything about it.

.

AJKOER - 8-4-2013 at 17:47

OK, Organic chemistry includes Orangic chemistry which deals exclusive with what you make when you eat too many oranges.

Am I close, or do I have to stand back (for safey of course)?

Finnnicus - 8-4-2013 at 18:52

Quote: Originally posted by DraconicAcid  
Quote: Originally posted by neptunium  
Quote: Originally posted by arsphenamine  


I once had a student who laughed out loud when I told the class we'd be covering organic chemistry later in the semester. Apparently, "organic" means "without chemicals", so I obviously blundered by making such a statement.



wow! what a strange world we live in! how old was this kid?

In the twenty-five to thirty range, I think. When I told them that "everything we eat is a chemical", it was interpreted as meaning, "I refuse to eat anything but McDonald's."


LOL! Your student is a genius. Organic chemistry as defined by Science madness is all about the carbon-carbon bond, no?

elementcollector1 - 8-4-2013 at 19:35

Not just as defined by SciMad, that's the practical, IUPAC-approved definition as far as I know.
I swear, there's a nut for every idea. 'Organic' has now come to mean 'without chemicals', when what that really means is 'grown without pesticides, insecticides, etc. that may be harmful to the human system but help the plants to grow better'. Us chemists know better.