Elements of Organic Chemistry

Most organic compounds are made up of four elements: hydrogen, carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen.

The element or chemical substance hydrogen is the most abundant in our universe. It accounts for 90 percent of all atoms. With an atomic number of 1 and an atomic weight of 1.008, it is the tiniest and lightest of the elements. Colorless, odorless, and combustible, hydrogen is most commonly found as a gas.

 Despite the fact that it is abundant, hydrogen is rarely discovered in its natural condition. It is primarily found linked to other elements in chemical compounds. The most common example is water, which has hydrogen linked to the oxygen molecule. When hydrogen is consumed, it typically combines with oxygen in the atmosphere to produce water. This is also why it was given the name “Hydrogen,” which comes from the Greek word “hydro genes,” which means “water creator/former.” 

Physical Properties of Hydrogen

1.Colorless, odorless, and odorless neutral gas

2.Water solubility is lower.

3.Extremely flammable.

4.A blue flame is produced.

5.Boiling points are quite low.

Chemical Properties of Hydrogen

1.Due to the strong bond enthalpy of the H–H bond, dihydrogen is relatively inert at ambient temperature.

2.A powerful electric arc is used to create atomic hydrogen.

3.It has a single electron missing from its orbit.

4.Almost every element reacts with hydrogen.

Different Forms in Hydrogen 

1.Atomic Hydrogen:

It is created by passing molecular hydrogen through a 2273k electric arc struck between tungsten electrodes. The process is endothermic, which means that the heat is stored in the atoms.

H2→ 2H- Heat

(Heat in an electric arc at 2273 K)

The hydrogen atoms that have been freed recombine to create H, releasing a substantial quantity of energy that can be used for welding.

2.Nascent Hydrogen:

It’s hydrogen at the point of generation, when it’s just been unleashed. Nascent hydrogen is substantially more reactive than regular hydrogen and a far more effective reducing agent.

The reason for nascent hydrogen’s action is as follows:

Atomic structure (the atom is more reactive than molecules).

During a reaction, chemical energy is released.

Internal pressure is high due to the presence of nascent hydrogen atoms.

What exactly is carbon?

Carbon compounds can be found in everything, including the food we consume, the clothes we wear, and even the lead of the pencil we use to write.

Carbon has an atomic number of 6 and a mass of 12.01gmol-1.

The 14th group of elements in the Periodic Table is represented by the symbol C.

It is the sixteenth most abundant element on the planet, according to the data.

It can be found in both the free and combined states. It is available in the elemental condition as coal and graphite. In its combined condition, it exists as metal carbonates, hydrocarbons, and carbon dioxide gas. When it reacts with other elements like hydrogen, dioxygen, chlorine, and sulfur, it creates a wide range of compounds ranging from tissues to medications.

Graphite, one of the softest substances known, and diamond, the hardest natural material, are both carbon allotropes. It may create multiple stable covalent bonds with appropriate multivalent atoms and easily binds with other tiny atoms, including other carbon atoms. Carbon is found in almost ten million molecules, accounting for the great bulk of all chemical compounds. Carbon has the greatest sublimation point of all the elements. At atmospheric pressure, it has no melting point.

Carbon molecules are the foundation of all known life on Earth, and the carbon-nitrogen cycle generates some of the energy supplied by the Sun and other stars. While it can produce a wide range of compounds, most forms of carbon are very inactive under typical conditions. At room temperature and pressure, it resists all but the most powerful oxidizers. Sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, chlorine, and any other alkali have no reaction. At high temperatures, carbon combines with oxygen to generate carbon oxides, and it may also steal oxygen from metal oxides, leaving only the elemental metal.

Utilization of Carbon 

1.Carbon’s ability to form lengthy carbon chains and rings is one of its most astounding features. Catenation is the name for this characteristic of carbon.

2.Carbon has several unique properties, one of which is that it forms p-p bonds, which are double or triple bonds between itself and other electronegative atoms such as oxygen and nitrogen.

3.Carbon has a variety of allotropic forms due to its two capabilities of catenation and multiple bond creation.

What exactly is nitrogen?

Nitrogen is the seventh element in the periodic table, between carbon and oxygen.

1.It’s a crucial component of amino acids.

2.Nitrogen gas makes up around 80% of the Earth’s atmosphere.

3.It is predominantly diatomic nonmetal gas, which is odorless and colorless in nature.

4.Most of its compounds are trivalent because its outer shell has five electrons.

5.It can be found in all living tissues. It is a vital component of life because it is a component of DNA and a part of the genetic code.

6.It can be found in soil and water as nitrates and nitrites.

7.All of these elements are linked and part of the nitrogen cycle. As a result of nitrogen cycle processes, industrial enterprises produce a lot of nitrogen, which increases the amount of nitrite and nitrate in the ground and water.

Uses of Nitrogen

1.It’s used to make ammonia, then to make nitric acid, which is then utilized as a fertilizer.

2.Potassium nitrate, ammonium nitrate, and nitric acid are all examples of nitric acid salts. Nitro glycerine and other nitrated organic compounds are common explosives.

3.For transportation and freezing reasons, liquid nitrogen is used as a refrigerant. Liquid nitrogen is also used to preserve bodies and reproductive cells, as well as to keep biological samples stable.

4.Nitrogen is found in all living tissue and comprises approximately 78 percent of the Earth’s atmosphere. Because nitrogen is a component of DNA and hence a part of the genetic code, it is an essential component of life.

5.Soil contains a lot of nitrogen molecules. Nitrogen can be found in the form of nitrates and nitrites in both water and soil. These substances are all part of the nitrogen cycle, and they are linked.

Conclusion

We conclude that Hydrogen is an energy carrier, which means it may be utilized to store energy when it isn’t needed and then release it when the primary energy source isn’t available or sufficient.Carbon is a fascinating substance. Its existence in the cores of stars, its abundance but not in pure form, and its vitality to life make it an ideal element to research, hunt for, utilize in alloys, and wear on jewellery.As we know its structural involvement in DNA, RNA, and proteins, nitrogen is an important nutrient. As dinitrogen, nitrogen is abundant in the atmosphere (80 percent by volume).

faq

Frequently asked questions

Get answers to the most common queries related to the CSIR Examination Preparation.

Why is nitrogen so important?

Ans: Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for the production of ...Read full

How is carbon used in daily life?

Ans: There are three common naturally occurring forms of carb...Read full

Why is carbon an important element?

Ans: Carbon is the most important element to living things because it can form many different kinds...Read full

Why is hydrogen important now?

Ans: Today, hydrogen is used mostly in oil refining and for the production of fertilizers. For it t...Read full

What is the most important use of hydrogen?

Ans: Uses: The most important use of hydrogen is the ammonia synthesis. The use of hydrogen is exte...Read full