Chemistry is the scientific discipline that has as its object the study of the composition of matter and the reactions that cause its interactions. Although there are very diverse types of chemistry depending on the object of study of the branch in question, traditionally there has been a distinction between organic and inorganic.

But, what differences are there not between types of chemistry but directly between the types of compounds they study? In this article we analyze the main differences between organic and inorganic compounds.

Chemical compounds

Before seeing what the differences are between them, let’s briefly define each of the concepts.

Firstly, we understand as a chemical compound any material or product resulting from the interaction and combination of two or more elements. There are many different types of chemical compounds that can be classified according to different criteria, such as the elements that make up the compound or the way in which they are joined. Among them, one of the most basic divisions is between organic and inorganic compounds.

Organic compounds are all those compounds that are part of living beings or their remains , being based on carbon and its combination with other specific elements.

As far as inorganic compounds are concerned, these are those that do not form part of living organisms , although any element of the periodic table can be found in them (even carbon in some cases). In both cases they are compounds present in nature or synthesizable from it in the laboratory (especially inorganic ones).

Differences between organic and inorganic compounds

Organic and inorganic matter have great similarities, but they also have distinctive elements that allow them to be distinguished. Some of the main differences are explained below.

1. Elements that usually configure each type of compound

One of the differences between organic and inorganic compounds that is most marked and at the same time easiest to understand is the type of elements that are part of them.

In the case of organic compounds, they are mainly based on carbon and the combination of this with other elements. Generally they are formed by carbon and hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulphur and/or phosphorus.

On the other hand, inorganic compounds can be formed by any element of the periodic table, although they will not be based on carbon (although they may contain carbon in some cases, such as carbon monoxide).

2. Type of main link

As a general rule, all or almost all organic compounds are considered to be formed by the bonding of atoms through covalent bonds. In inorganic compounds, on the other hand, ionic or metallic bonds prevail, although other types of bonds may also appear.

3. Stability

Another difference between organic and inorganic compounds is found in the stability of the compounds. While inorganic compounds tend to be stable and not to undergo major modifications unless more or less powerful chemical reactions come into play, organic compounds are very easily destabilized and decomposed.

4. Complexity

While inorganic compounds may form complex structures, they usually maintain a simple organization. However, organic compounds tend to form long chains of varying complexity.

5. Heat resistance

Another difference between organic and inorganic compounds is the amount of heat needed to produce an alteration such as fusion. Organic compounds are easily affected by temperature, requiring relatively low temperatures to melt them. However, inorganic compounds tend to require a very high level of heat to enter into the melting process (for example, water does not come to a boil until 100 degrees Celsius).

6. Solubility

Dissolving an organic compound is usually very complicated unless a specific solvent (such as alcohol) is available, due to its covalent bonds. However, most inorganic compounds are easily soluble because of the prevailing ionic bond.

7. Electrical conduction

As a rule, organic compounds tend not to be electrically conductive and insulating, while inorganic components (especially metals) tend to be very easy to isolate.

8. Isomeria

Isomery refers to the ability of compounds to appear with different chemical structures despite sharing the same composition (for example, a different order in the chain that forms a compound will result in compounds with different characteristics). While it can occur in both organic and inorganic compounds, it is much more prevalent in the former because of its tendency to create chains of linked atoms.

9. Reaction speed

Chemical reactions in inorganic compounds tend to be rapid and do not require the intervention of other elements than reagents. On the contrary, the chemical reactions of inorganic compounds have a variable speed and may require the presence of external elements to start or continue the reaction, for example in the form of energy.