Question

Look at the diagrams below: why are these considered organic molecules?

a. They are found in nonliving things.
b. They are made from many carbon atoms.
c. They are very large.
d. They have a lot of oxygen atoms.

Answer 1

The right answer is b. They are made from many carbon atoms.

A molecule is said to be organic if it contains carbon atoms (C) linked to hydrogen atoms (H).

The organic molecules can be distinguished during a combustion since the carbon atoms will turn into carbon dioxide (CO2) and the hydrogen atoms into water (H2O). In fact, if a combustion leads to the formation of these two products, it is known that what has been consumed contained organic molecules.