Final answer:
Functional groups primarily determine the unique chemical characteristics of organic compounds, making the statement true. These groups dictate chemical reactivity and are essential for categorizing and naming organic compounds.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement 'Organic compounds get their unique chemical characteristics more from their functional groups than from their carbon backbones' is true.
Functional groups are distinct structural units within a molecule that dictate its overall chemical reactivity and properties. These groups can consist of a single atom or a cluster of atoms and are responsible for the characteristic reactions of different organic compound families. While the carbon backbone provides the framework of an organic compound, the functional groups attached to this skeleton are what primarily define how the compound behaves in chemical reactions. The reactivity of these groups can extend from simple substitutions to complex biochemical interactions within the human body.
Organic compounds are categorized based on the functional groups they contain. In nomenclature, systematic names and common names indicate the presence and positions of functional groups within the molecule. For instance, the prefixes 'form-' and 'acet-' are used for specific types of compounds related to the number of carbon atoms they contain.