Organic Chemistry - Key terms
ALKANES:
Hydrocarbons that form single bonds. Alkanes are also called saturated hydrocarbons.
ALKENES:
Hydrocarbons that form double bonds.
ALKYL:
A general term for an alkane that functions as a substituent.
ALKYNES:
Hydrocarbons that form triple bonds.
ALLOTROPES:
Different versions of the same element, distinguished by molecular structure.
AMORPHOUS:
Having no definite structure.
COVALENT BONDING:
A type of chemical bonding in which two atoms share valence electrons.
CRYSTALLINE:
A term describing a type of solid in which the constituent parts have a simple and definite geometric arrangement repeated in all directions.
DOUBLE BOND:
A form of bonding in which two atoms share two pairs of valence electrons. Carbon is also capable of single bonds and triple bonds.
ELECTRONEGATIVITY:
The relative ability of an atom to attract valence electrons.
FUNCTIONAL GROUPS:
An atom or group of atoms whose presence identifies a specific family of compounds.
HYDROCARBON:
Any chemical compound whose molecules are made up of nothing but carbon and hydrogen atoms.
HYDROCARBON DERIVATIVES:
Families of compounds formed by the joining of hydrocarbons with various functionalgroups.
ISOMERS:
Substances having the same chemical formula, but that are different chemically due to disparities in the arrangement of atoms.
OCTET RULE:
A term describing the distribution of valence electrons that takes place in chemical bonding for most elements, which end up with eight valence electrons.
ORGANIC CHEMISTRY:
The study of carbon, its compounds, and their properties. (Some carbon-containing compounds, most notably oxides and carbonates, are not considered organic.)
SATURATED:
A term describing a hydrocarbon in which each carbon is already bound to four other atoms. Alkanes are saturated hydrocarbons.
SINGLE BOND:
A form of bonding in which two atoms share one pair of valence electrons. Carbon is also capable of double bonds and triple bonds.
SUBSTITUENTS:
Branches of alkanes, named by taking the name of an alkane and replacing the suffix with yl—for example, methyl, ethyl, and so on.
TETRAVALENT:
Capable of bonding to four other elements.
TRIPLE BOND:
A form of bonding in which two atoms share three pairs of valence electrons. Carbon is also capable of single bonds and double bonds.
UNSATURATED:
A term describing a hydrocarbon in which the carbons involved in a multiple bond (a double bond or triple bond) are free to bond with other atoms. Alkenes and alkynes are bothunsaturated.
VALENCE ELECTRONS:
Electrons that occupy the highest principal energy level in an atom. These are the electrons involved in chemical bonding.