Section 3.1: Carbon Atoms and Organic Molecules

An organic compound composed solely of hydrogen and carbon atoms.

• carbide
• carbonate
• hydrocarbon
• hydroxide

One of two or more chemical compounds having the same chemical formula but different structural formulas (e.g., structural and geometrical isomers and enantiomers).

• Isomers
• Homologues
• Polymers
• Isotopes

One of two or more chemical compounds having the same chemical formula but differing in the covalent arrangement of their atoms (e.g., glucose and fructose).

• Homologues
• Polymers
• Structural Isomers

• Isotopes

One of two or more chemical compounds having the same arrangement of covalent bonds but differing in the spatial arrangement of their atoms or groups of atoms.

• Polymers
• Isotopes
• Geometrical Isomers

• Homologues

Two isomeric chemical compounds that are mirror images.

• Enantiomers
• Structural isomers
• Diastereomers
• Isomers

A group of atoms that confers distinctive properties on an organic molecule (or region of a molecule) to which it is attached (e.g., hydroxyl, carbonyl, carboxyl, amino, phosphate, and sulfhydryl groups).

• Elemental groups
• Chemical groups
• Molecular groups
• Functional groups

A nonpolar functional group; abbreviated -CH3 .

• Butyl group
• Ethyl group
• Propyl group
• Methyl group

Polar functional group; abbreviated —OH.

• Hydrogen group
• Hydroxyl group
• Hydroxide group
• Hydrocarbon group

A polar functional group consisting of a carbon attached to an oxygen by a double bond; found in aldehydes and ketones.

• Carboxyl group
• Amino group
• Hydroxyl group
• Carbonyl group

An organic molecule containing a carbonyl group bonded to at least one hydrogen atom. Compare with ketone.

• Ester
• Alkane
• Carboxylic acid
• Aldehyde