Abstract

Organic Chemistry: An Overview

Author(s): Jennifer Stewart

Organic chemistry is the study of carbon-containing molecules' structure, characteristics, content, reactions, and manufacture. The most common elements in organic compounds are carbon and hydrogen, although they can also contain a variety of other elements (e.g., nitrogen, oxygen, halogens, phosphorus, silicon, sulfur). Organic chemistry was once limited to the study of molecules created by living organisms, but it has since expanded to encompass human-made substances (e.g., plastics).