Organic chemistry is important because it is essential for the development of many products and processes in the chemical industry, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and medicine. Organic chemistry has also given rise to many branches of study within chemistry such as biochemistry and molecular biology.
The word “organic” describes any compound or molecule containing carbon.
Organic chemistry is a branch of chemistry that focuses on the study of compounds containing carbon. Organic compounds contain carbon bonded to hydrogen and other elements (oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur). These compounds can be divided into two groups: carbohydrates (sugars) and lipids (fats). Carbohydrates are polymers that form chains made up of repeating glucose units (monosaccharides), such as glucose or fructose. Lipids are composed of fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule by ester linkage in triglycerides or to glycerol by ether linkage in phospholipids like lecithin or sphingomyelin.
From plastics to paints, from drugs to explosives, organic chemistry provides the chemicals needed to sustain human life as we know it. New discoveries in organic chemistry can lead to new products and processes.
Organic chemists are involved with nearly every aspect of our lives from food production, drug manufacturing, fuel production, plastics and even clothing manufacturing. The study of organic chemistry is an important part of any chemist’s education because it gives you a better understanding of how chemicals interact with one another.
