What is the difference between #"organic chemistry"#, and #"inorganic chemistry"#?

1 Answer
anor277
Feb 25, 2017

You have two umbrellas, and a lot of different stuff goes under either umbrella..........and the umbrellas can overlap.

Explanation:

#"Organic Chemistry"# includes the chemistry of carbon bound to hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, (and a few heteroatoms). While this field sounds restricted it includes an entire biological chemistry. And thus an organic compound is typically, #C_nH_mN_pO_l#.

#"Inorganic Chemistry"# includes the rest of the Periodic Table. #"Organometallic chemistry"# includes carbon bound to metal atoms, so inorganic chemists often work with highly reactive carbon compounds.

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