March 29, 2024, 06:19:10 AM
Forum Rules: Read This Before Posting


Topic: Umm how many organic compounds are there.  (Read 3108 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Kittyjon

  • Very New Member
  • *
  • Posts: 1
  • Mole Snacks: +0/-0
Umm how many organic compounds are there.
« on: June 06, 2016, 01:27:33 PM »
Last semester I learned a bit about organic compounds and how there are a lot of them, can someone name a few common/important organic compounds/elements made of carbon? Thanks I appreciate it if I get some responses!

Offline kriggy

  • Chemist
  • Sr. Member
  • *
  • Posts: 1519
  • Mole Snacks: +135/-16
Re: Umm how many organic compounds are there.
« Reply #1 on: June 06, 2016, 02:00:42 PM »
There are no elements made from carbon, you mean compounds. Anyway, there is realy tons of those, starting from simple like
methane or acetone through more complex like agent orange or penicilin to crazy complex structures like taxol or my personal favorite maitotoxin.
I think you will learn more about organic compounds in next classes you take?

Offline mikasaur

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 235
  • Mole Snacks: +27/-1
  • Gender: Male
  • Chemist in training
Re: Umm how many organic compounds are there.
« Reply #2 on: June 07, 2016, 10:59:12 AM »
Asking "how many organic compounds are there" is like asking "how many birds are there". There are A LOT. And the "importance" of any one of them depends on who you're asking.
Or you could, you know, Google it.

Offline Irlanur

  • Chemist
  • Full Member
  • *
  • Posts: 423
  • Mole Snacks: +32/-4
Re: Umm how many organic compounds are there.
« Reply #3 on: June 07, 2016, 11:16:56 AM »
Quote
Asking "how many organic compounds are there" is like asking "how many birds are there".

I am pretty sure that there are several orders of magnitude more organic compounds than birds ;)

Offline Corribus

  • Chemist
  • Sr. Member
  • *
  • Posts: 3471
  • Mole Snacks: +526/-23
  • Gender: Male
  • A lover of spectroscopy and chocolate.
Re: Umm how many organic compounds are there.
« Reply #4 on: June 07, 2016, 12:59:28 PM »
Considering that every protein and polymer is an "organic compound", and practically there is no limit to the number of different unique arrangements you can make - (e.g., even if we restrict ourselves only to polyethylene), then the number of organic compounds is for all intents and purposes infinite in number.
What men are poets who can speak of Jupiter if he were like a man, but if he is an immense spinning sphere of methane and ammonia must be silent?  - Richard P. Feynman

Sponsored Links