Question

Sugars, proteins, water, and table salt are all important in their contributions to maintaining homeostasis. While sugars and proteins are considered organic, water and table salt are inorganic compounds. Explain why water and table salt are considered inorganic.

Answer 1

Water and table salt are considered inorganic compounds because they do not contain both hydrogen and carbon. Sugars and proteins, on the other hand, are organic compounds because they contain both hydrogen and carbon atoms.

Step-by-step explanation:

Water and table salt are considered inorganic compounds because they do not contain both hydrogen and carbon. Water, or H2O, consists of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom, while table salt, or NaCl, is made up of sodium (Na) and chloride (Cl) ions. In contrast, sugars and proteins are organic compounds because they contain both hydrogen and carbon atoms in their chemical structures.