Organic matter is a chemical compound that contains carbon. The only exceptions are carbonic acid, carbides, carbonates, cyanides and carbon oxides.
History
The term "organic matter" itself appeared in the everyday life of scientists at the stage of the early development of chemistry. At that time, vitalistic worldviews dominated. It was a continuation of the traditions of Aristotle and Pliny. During this period, pundits were busy dividing the world into living and nonliving. At the same time, all substances without exception were clearly divided into mineral and organic. It was believed that for the synthesis of compounds of "living" substances, a special "strength" is needed. It is inherent in all living things, and without it organic elements cannot form.
This statement, funny for modern science, prevailed for a very long time, until in 1828 Friedrich Wöhler experimentally denied it. He was able to get organic urea from inorganic ammonium cyanate. This pushed chemistry forward. However, the division of substances into organic and inorganic has been preserved in the present tense. It underlies the classification. Almost 27 million organic compounds are known.
Why are there so many organic compounds?
Organic matter is, with some exceptions, a carbon compound. This is actually a very curious element. Carbon is able to form chains from its atoms. It is very important that the connection between them is stable.
In addition, carbon in organic substances shows a valency of - IV. It follows from this that this element is able to form bonds with other substances not only single, but also double and triple. As their multiplicity increases, the chain consisting of atoms will become shorter. Moreover, the stability of communication only increases.
Carbon also has the ability to form flat, linear and bulk structures. That is why there are so many diverse organic substances in nature.
Structure
As mentioned above, organic matter is a carbon compound. And this is very important. Organic compounds arise when it is associated with almost any element of the periodic table. In nature, most often their composition (in addition to carbon) includes oxygen, hydrogen, sulfur, nitrogen and phosphorus. The remaining elements are much less common.
The properties
So, the organic substance is a carbon compound. However, there are several important criteria that it must meet. All substances of organic origin have common properties:
1. A different typology of bonds existing between atoms certainly leads to the appearance of isomers. First of all, they are formed by combining carbon molecules. Isomers are various substances having the same molecular weight and composition, but different chemical and physical properties. This phenomenon is called isomerism.
2. Another criterion is the phenomenon of homology. These are series of organic compounds, in them the formula of neighboring substances differs from the previous ones by one group of CH 2 . This important property is used in materials science.
What are the classes of organic substances?
Organic compounds include several classes. They are known to all. These are proteins, lipids and carbohydrates. These groups can be called biological polymers. They participate in metabolism at the cellular level in any organism. Also included in this group are nucleic acids. So we can say that organic matter is what we consume daily in food, what we are composed of.
Squirrels
Proteins are composed of structural components - amino acids. These are their monomers. Proteins are also called proteins. About 200 types of amino acids are known. All of them are found in living organisms. But only twenty of them are constituent proteins. They are called basic. But in the literature one can also find less popular terms - proteinogenic and protein-forming amino acids. The organic formula of this class contains amine (-NH 2 ) and carboxyl (-COOH) components. They are interconnected by the same carbon bonds.
Protein functions
Proteins in the body of plants and animals perform many important functions. But the main one is structural. Proteins are the main components of the cell membrane and matrix of organelles in cells. In our body, all the walls of arteries, veins and capillaries, tendons and cartilage, nails and hair consist mainly of different proteins.
The next function is enzymatic. Proteins act as enzymes. They catalyze the flow of chemical reactions in the body. They are responsible for the breakdown of nutrients in the digestive tract. In plants, enzymes fix the position of carbon during photosynthesis.
Some types of proteins carry various substances in the body, such as oxygen. Organic matter is also able to join them. So the transport function is carried out. Proteins carry metal ions, fatty acids, hormones and, of course, carbon dioxide and hemoglobin through blood vessels. Transport occurs at the intercellular level.
Protein compounds - immunoglobulins - are responsible for the implementation of the protective function. These are blood antibodies. For example, thrombin and fibrinogen are actively involved in the coagulation process. Thus, they prevent great blood loss.
Proteins are also responsible for the performance of contractile function. Due to the fact that myosin and actin protofibrils constantly perform sliding movements relative to each other, muscle fibers contract. But unicellular organisms also have similar processes. The movement of bacterial flagella is also directly related to the sliding of microtubules, which are protein in nature.
The oxidation of organic matter releases a large amount of energy. But, as a rule, proteins are spent on energy needs very rarely. This happens when all stocks are exhausted. Lipids and carbohydrates are best suited for this. Therefore, proteins can perform an energy function, but only under certain conditions.
Lipids
An organic substance is also a fat-like compound. Lipids belong to the simplest biological molecules. They are insoluble in water, but decompose in non-polar solutions, such as gasoline, ether and chloroform. They are part of all living cells. Chemically, lipids are esters of alcohols and carboxylic acids. The most famous of them are fats. In the body of animals and plants, these substances perform many important functions. Many lipids are used in medicine and industry.
Lipid function
These organic chemicals, together with the proteins in the cells, form biological membranes. But their main function is energy. The oxidation of fat molecules releases a tremendous amount of energy. She goes to the formation of ATP cells. In the form of lipids, a significant amount of energy reserves can accumulate in the body. Sometimes they are even more than necessary for the implementation of normal life. With pathological changes in the metabolism of "fat" cells becomes more. Although in fairness it should be noted that such excessive reserves are simply necessary for animals, hibernating, and plants. Many believe that trees and shrubs in the cold period feed on soils. In fact, they are spending reserves of oils and fats that they made during the summer period.
In humans and animals, fats can also have a protective function. They are deposited in the subcutaneous tissue and around organs such as the kidneys and intestines. Thus, they serve as a good protection against mechanical damage, i.e. shock.
In addition, fats have a low level of thermal conductivity, which helps to maintain heat. This is very important, especially in cold climates. In marine animals, the subcutaneous fat layer also contributes to good buoyancy. But in birds, lipids also perform water-repellent and lubricating functions. Wax covers their feathers and makes them more elastic. Some plants have the same coating on the leaves.
Carbohydrates
The formula of the organic substance C n (H 2 O) m indicates that the compound belongs to the class of carbohydrates. The name of these molecules indicates the fact that they contain oxygen and hydrogen in the same amount as water. In addition to these chemical elements, for example, nitrogen may be present in the compounds.
Carbohydrates in the cell are the main group of organic compounds. These are the primary products of the photosynthesis process. They are also the starting products of the synthesis in plants of other substances, for example, alcohols, organic acids and amino acids. Also, carbohydrates are part of the cells of animals and fungi. They are found among the main components of bacteria and protozoa. So, in the animal cell they are from 1 to 2%, and in the plant cell their number can reach 90%.
To date, there are only three groups of carbohydrates:
- simple sugars (monosaccharides);
- oligosaccharides consisting of several molecules of consecutively connected simple sugars;
- polysaccharides, their composition includes more than 10 molecules of monosaccharides and their derivatives.
Carbohydrate functions
All organic substances in the cell perform certain functions. So, for example, glucose is the main energy source. It breaks down in the cells of all living organisms. This occurs during cellular respiration. Glycogen and starch form the main supply of energy, the first substance in animals, and the second in plants.
Carbohydrates also have a structural function. Cellulose is the main component of the cell wall of plants. And in arthropods, chitin performs the same function. It is also found in the cells of higher fungi. If we take oligosaccharides as an example, then they are part of the cytoplasmic membrane - in the form of glycolipids and glycoproteins. Also, glycocalyx is often detected in cells. Pentoses are involved in the synthesis of nucleic acids. In this case, deoxyribose is included in the DNA, and ribose in RNA. Also, these components are found in coenzymes, for example, in FAD, NADP and NAD.
Carbohydrates are also capable of performing a protective function in the body. In animals, heparin actively inhibits the rapid coagulation of blood. It is formed during tissue damage and blocks the formation of blood clots in the vessels. Heparin is found in large quantities in mast cells in granules.
Nucleic acids
Proteins, carbohydrates and lipids are not all known classes of organic substances. Chemistry also includes nucleic acids. These are phosphorus-containing biopolymers. They, being in the cell nucleus and cytoplasm of all living things, provide the transfer and storage of genetic data. These substances were discovered thanks to the biochemist F. Misher, who studied salmon sperm. It was a "random" discovery. A little later, RNA and DNA were found in all plant and animal organisms. Nucleic acids in the cells of fungi and bacteria, as well as viruses, were also isolated.
In total, two types of nucleic acids were discovered in nature - ribonucleic (RNA) and deoxyribonucleic (DNA). The difference is clear from the name. The composition of DNA includes deoxyribose - five-carbon sugar. And in the RNA molecule, ribose is detected.
The study of nucleic acids involved in organic chemistry. Research topics are also dictated by medicine. DNA codes hide many genetic diseases that scientists have yet to discover.