The class started with a brief introduction of our professor, Sir West. That was then followed by our introduction of our chosen partners. As today was our first meeting for Ph Ch 125 lec, the main goal was just to acquaint ourselves with the syllabus and the subject itself. Based on the list of topics covered and on the number of those who have to repeat the subject as well, I can already foresee the looming days of stress and hardship. My lack of background on topics 7 onward may also account for such negativity. I am quite positive on one thing though. Sir West said that organic chemistry allows him to think visually and that is possibly a good thing for visual learners like me.
Organic chemistry is a branch of chemistry that focuses on carbon-containing compounds. Life itself will not be possible without the unique ability of carbon to form multiple chains and rings at low energies. This property of carbon may be attributed to its four valence electrons that readily allow bonding to as many as four other atoms. Though silicon is tetravalent as well, it doesn't tend to form double and triple bonds and its high affinity for oxygen is quite disadvantageous (an example is in the formation of silicon dioxide).
It must be taken into consideration though that not all carbon-containing compounds are organic, with carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide as some examples. As I do not know the reason for this, I have tried to look for answers and according to what I have read, a fine line between organic chemistry and inorganic chemistry doesn't exist though some consider the presence of both carbon and hydrogen as the main determining factor as to whether a compound is organic or not.
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