What is the difference between organic and inorganic compounds?
Carbon. Organic compounds are all carbon compounds, except CO2.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/organic%20compounds
Organic and inorganic compounds are two broad categories of chemical compounds based on their composition and structure. The main difference between organic and inorganic compounds lies in the presence of carbon atoms.
Organic compounds are generally defined as compounds that contain carbon atoms, with a few exceptions like carbon dioxide (CO2). These compounds commonly exist in living organisms and are responsible for various biological processes. Organic compounds often have covalent bonds between carbon and other elements such as hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and many others. They can be quite complex and are the basis for many essential molecules in nature, including carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids.
On the other hand, inorganic compounds are compounds that do not contain carbon atoms bonded to hydrogen. Inorganic compounds can be made up of a variety of elements and can have both ionic and covalent bonds. They may include minerals, metals, nonmetals, acids, salts, and many other substances. Examples of inorganic compounds include water (H2O), table salt (NaCl), sulfuric acid (H2SO4), and iron oxide (Fe2O3).
To summarize, the main difference between organic and inorganic compounds is the presence of carbon atoms. Organic compounds contain carbon atoms, while inorganic compounds do not.