Final answer:
The main difference between items that contain carbon and those that do not is that the ones with carbon are considered organic compounds, while the ones without carbon are inorganic compounds.
Step-by-step explanation:
The main difference between items that contain carbon and those that do not is that the ones with carbon are considered organic compounds, while the ones without carbon are inorganic compounds.
Carbon is the most abundant element in organic compounds and is required for life on Earth to exist. Organic compounds make up the cells and structures in living organisms.
In contrast, most inorganic compounds do not contain carbon and are not essential to life.