Grade 7
  1. Introduction to Chemistry  1.1. What is Chemistry?  1.2. Importance of chemistry in daily life  1.3. Branches of chemistry  1.4. Scientific Method in Chemistry  1.5. Laboratory Safety Rules and Precautions  1.6. Common Laboratory Equipment and Their Uses  1.7. Units of measurement in chemistry
  2. Matter and its properties  2.1. Definition of Matter  2.2. Classification of matter  2.3. Properties of matter  2.3.1. Physical properties  2.3.2. Chemical properties  2.4. States of matter  2.4.1. Solid state  2.4.2. Fluid state  2.4.3. Gaseous state  2.4.4. Plasma and Bose–Einstein condensates  2.5. Changes in the states of matter  2.5.1. Melting and freezing  2.5.2. Evaporation and Condensation  2.5.3. Sublimation and deposition  2.6. Density and its applications  2.7. Diffusion and its importance
  3. Elements, Compounds, and Mixtures  3.1. Definition of the element  3.2. Classification of elements  3.3. Metals, Nonmetals and Metalloids  3.4. Noble gases and their properties  3.5. Introduction to the Periodic Table  3.6. Definition of Compound  3.7. Properties of Compounds  3.8. Introduction to Chemical Formulas  3.9. Definition of Mixture  3.10. Types of mixtures  3.10.1. Homogeneous mixture  3.10.2. Heterogeneous mixtures  3.11. Difference Between Compounds and Mixtures  3.12. Solutions, Colloids and Suspensions
  4. Separation of mixtures  4.1. Need for separation of mixtures  4.2. Separation methods  4.2.1. Filtration  4.2.2. Sedimentation and decantation  4.2.3. Evaporation  4.2.4. Crystallization  4.2.5. Distillation  4.2.6. Chromatography  4.2.7. Magnetic Separation  4.2.8. Centrifugation
  5. Atomic Structure  5.1. Introduction to Atoms  5.2. Structure of the atom  5.2.1. Nucleus and electron cloud  5.3. Subatomic particles  5.3.1. Proton  5.3.2. Neutron  5.3.3. Electrons  5.4. Atomic number and mass number  5.5. Isotopes and their uses  5.6. Ions and ion formation
  6. Periodic table  6.1. Introduction to the Periodic Table  6.2. Groups and periods  6.3. Trends in the Periodic Table  6.3.1. Atomic Size  6.3.2. Metallic and non-metallic character  6.3.3. Electronegativity  6.3.4. Reactivity of the elements  6.4. Alkali metals and their properties
  7. Chemical bond  7.1. Why do atoms form bonds?  7.2. Types of chemical bonds  7.2.1. Ionic bond  7.2.2. Covalent bond  7.2.3. Metal Bond  7.3. Properties of Ionic and Covalent Compounds  7.4. Intermolecular forces
  8. Chemical reactions  8.1. Introduction to Chemical Reactions  8.2. Signs of a chemical reaction  8.3. Types of Chemical Reactions  8.3.1. Combination Reactions  8.3.2. Decomposition reactions  8.3.3. Displacement reactions  8.3.4. Double displacement reactions  8.3.5. Combustion reactions  8.4. Law of conservation of mass  8.5. Balancing simple chemical equations
  9. Acids, Bases and Salts  9.1. Definition of Acid and Base  9.2. Properties of Acids  9.3. Properties of bases  9.4. pH Scale and Indicators  9.5. Neutralization reactions  9.6. Common Acids and Bases in Everyday Life  9.7. Preparation and use of salts  9.8. Strong and weak acids and bases
  10. Solutions and Solubility  10.1. Definition of Solution  10.2. Components of the solution  10.2.1. Solvent  10.2.2. solute  10.3. Factors Affecting Solubility  10.4. Concentration of solutions  10.5. Saturated and unsaturated solutions  10.6. Colloids and suspensions  10.7. Solubility curve and its interpretation
  11. Air and atmosphere  11.1. Composition of air  11.2. Properties of gases in the air  11.3. Importance of Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide  11.4. Air pollution and its effects  11.5. Greenhouse effect and global warming  11.6. Ways to reduce air pollution  11.7. Ozone layer and its importance
  12. Water and its importance  12.1. Properties of Water  12.2. Water as the universal solvent  12.3. Importance of water for life  12.4. Water pollution and its effects  12.5. Water Purification  12.5.1. Filtration  12.5.2. boil  12.5.3. Chlorination in water purification  12.5.4. reverse osmosis  12.6. Hard and soft water  12.7. Water cycle and its importance
  13. Fuel and energy  13.1. Types of fuel  13.1.1. Fossil fuels  13.1.2. Renewable energy sources  13.2. Combustion and energy release  13.3. Global warming and its effects  13.4. Alternative sources of energy  13.5. Ways to conserve energy
  14. Metals and Nonmetals  14.1. Physical and chemical properties of metals  14.2. Physical and Chemical Properties of Non-Metals  14.3. Difference Between Metals and Nonmetals  14.4. Uses of metals and nonmetals  14.5. Corrosion of metals and its prevention  14.6. Alloys and their importance
  15. Plastics and polymers  15.1. Natural and synthetic polymers  15.2. Properties of plastics  15.3. Biodegradable and Non-Biodegradable Plastics  15.4. Environmental impact of plastic  15.5. Recycling and waste management in plastics and polymers  15.6. Daily Uses of Polymers
  16. Introduction to Organic Chemistry  16.1. Basic definitions of organic chemistry  16.2. Carbon Compounds in Daily Life  16.3. Hydrocarbons  16.4. Simple functional groups (alcohols and carboxylic acids)  16.5. Importance of organic compounds in industry

Grade 7 → Introduction to Organic Chemistry ↓


Basic definitions of organic chemistry


Organic chemistry is a fascinating and essential branch of science that deals with the study of carbon and its compounds. The field is huge and includes thousands of substances that are vital to life and essential to many industries. Let's take a deeper look at this topic and understand why organic chemistry is so special.

Understanding organic chemistry

Organic chemistry focuses primarily on compounds that contain carbon atoms. But why is carbon so special? Carbon atoms have the unique ability to form stable bonds with many elements, including other carbon atoms. This property allows carbon to form a huge range of complex and diverse molecules.

Why is carbon special?

Carbon has four electrons in its outer shell and needs four more electrons to attain a stable configuration. It can share these four electrons with other atoms to form four covalent bonds. These bonds can be single, double or triple, forming many structures such as chains and rings.

Here's a simplified representation of the carbon atom:

C
/
|

H H H
C H H H

Carbon compounds

Organic chemistry is not just about carbon. While carbon is the central element, organic compounds often include hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, and other elements. This diversity of elements allows for the creation of a wide variety of substances. Some common groups of organic compounds include:

  • Hydrocarbons: Compounds composed of only carbon and hydrogen. Examples include methane (CH4) and ethylene (C2H4).
  • Alcohol: Organic compounds containing a hydroxyl group - -OH. An example of this is ethanol (C2H5OH).
  • Carboxylic acids: Compounds containing a carboxyl group (-COOH). Acetic acid (CH3COOH) is a well-known example.
  • Amines: Organic compounds derived from ammonia. These contain nitrogen atoms, such as methylamine (CH3NH2).

Visualization of organic molecules

Visualizing molecules helps to better understand their shape and structure. Below is an illustration of methane, the simplest hydrocarbon:

H
|
H - C - H
|
H
C H H H H

Importance of organic chemistry

Organic chemistry is important because it forms the basis of life. Our DNA, proteins, and even the food we eat are all made of organic compounds. Here are some reasons why organic chemistry is important:

  • Biology: Understanding organic chemistry helps us understand how biological systems work. For example, hormones are organic compounds that play a key role in regulating biological processes.
  • Medicine: Many medicines and drugs are organic compounds. Organic chemistry helps design and synthesize these compounds to treat diseases and improve health.
  • Industry: Organic chemistry plays an important role in the production of plastics, dyes, and synthetic fibers. It also contributes to the development of new materials with unique properties.
  • Environmental science: Organic chemistry helps understand pollution and develop sustainable technologies for the environment.

Formulas and reactions

In organic chemistry, reactions involve the breaking and making of chemical bonds to form new substances. Chemical equations depict these processes. Here's an example:

CH4 + 2 O2 → CO2 + 2 H2O

This equation shows the combustion of methane, where methane and oxygen molecules react to form carbon dioxide and water.

Structural isomers

Organic compounds may have the same molecular formula but different structural formulas. These forms are called isomers. For example, butane and isobutane both have the formula C4H10 but differ in structure:

Butane: CH3-CH2-CH2-CH3
Isobutane: CH3-CH(CH3)-CH3
C C C C C

Branches of organic chemistry

Organic chemistry can be divided into several sub-disciplines, each of which focuses on specific aspects. Some important branches are:

  • Nucleic acids: These are essential for life, as they make up DNA and RNA, the molecules that store and transmit genetic information.
  • Proteins: Large, complex molecules made from amino acids that are important for the structure, function, and regulation of the body's tissues and organs.
  • Enzymes: Proteins that act as catalysts and speed up the biochemical reactions essential for life.
  • Carbohydrates: Sugars and starches that provide energy and structural support to cells.
  • Lipids: Fats and oils that are used for energy storage, cellular structure, and signaling.

A simple experiment - soap making

Let's do a simple organic chemistry experiment that you may already find interesting: making soap. Soap is a product of the reaction between a fat and an alkali such as sodium hydroxide.

The basic reaction involved is as follows:

Fat + NaOH → Soap + Glycerol

This process, called saponification, is an example of the interaction of organic compounds that results in a useful product.

Conclusion

Organic chemistry is a central science that connects many fields, including biology, medicine, and industrial chemistry. By understanding the basic concepts of organic chemistry, such as the versatile nature of carbon, the types of organic compounds, and their reactions, we get a glimpse of how important this branch of science is to our world.

The magic of organic chemistry lies in the diversity and complexity of organic compounds and their important role in our daily lives. The continued study and exploration of organic chemistry lead to new discoveries and advances that benefit us all.


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Basic definitions of organic chemistry

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