How to distinguish organic substances from inorganic ones. Difference between organic and inorganic substances

Every science is full of concepts, and if these concepts are not mastered, or indirect topics can be very difficult to learn. One of the concepts that should be well understood by every person who considers himself more or less educated is the division of materials into organic and inorganic. It doesn’t matter how old a person is, these concepts are on the list of those with the help of which they determine general level development at any stage human life. In order to understand the differences between these two terms, you first need to find out what each of them is.

Organic compounds - what are they?

Organic substances - group chemical compounds With heterogeneous structure, which include carbon elements, covalently linked to each other. The exceptions are carbides, coal, carboxylic acids. Also, one of the constituent substances, in addition to carbon, are the elements of hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, and halogen.

Such compounds are formed due to the ability of carbon atoms to form single, double and triple bonds.

The habitat of organic compounds is living beings. They can be either part of living beings or appear as a result of their vital activities (milk, sugar).

The products of the synthesis of organic substances are food, medicine, clothing items, building materials, various equipment, explosives, various types mineral fertilizers, polymers, food additives, cosmetics and more.

Inorganic substances - what are they?

Not organic matter– a group of chemical compounds that do not contain the elements carbon, hydrogen or chemical compounds whose constituent element is carbon. Both organic and inorganic are components of cells. The first in the form of life-giving elements, others in the composition of water, minerals and acids, as well as gases.

What do organic and inorganic substances have in common?

What could be common between two seemingly antonymous concepts? It turns out that they have something in common, namely:

1. Substances both organic and inorganic origin consist of molecules.
2. Organic and inorganic substances can be obtained as a result of a certain chemical reaction.

Organic and inorganic substances - what is the difference

1. Organic ones are better known and studied scientifically.
2. There are much more organic substances in the world. Quantity known to science organic - about a million, inorganic - hundreds of thousands.
3. Most organic compounds are linked to each other using the covalent nature of the compound; inorganic compounds can be linked to each other using an ionic compound.
4. There is also a difference in the composition of the incoming elements. Organic substances consist of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and less commonly nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur and halogen elements. Inorganic - consist of all elements of the periodic table, except carbon and hydrogen.
5. Organic substances are much more susceptible to the influence of hot temperatures and can be destroyed even at low temperatures. Most inorganic ones are less prone to the effects of extreme heat due to the nature of the type of molecular compound.
6. Organic substances are the constituent elements of the living part of the world (biosphere), inorganic substances are the nonliving parts (hydrosphere, lithosphere and atmosphere).
7. The composition of organic substances is more complex in structure than the composition of inorganic substances.
8. Organic substances offer a wide variety of possibilities chemical transformations and reactions.
9. Because of covalent type connections between organic compounds, chemical reactions last slightly longer than chemical reactions in inorganic compounds.
10. Inorganic substances cannot be a food product for living beings; even moreover, some of this type of combination can be deadly to a living organism. Organic substances are a product produced by living nature, as well as an element of the structure of living organisms.

Results of the Stanford study.

Recently, articles on the topic of “debunking the myth about the benefits of organic products,” based on the discovery of scientists at Stanford University, have appeared on the vastness of the Belarusian, Ukrainian and Russian Internet space. What is behind all this? Having turned to the original source, we found out that the research and the excerpts from their results actually took place. However, unfortunately, many of the above-mentioned articles lack objective and complete coverage of the research results. Looks like a "damaged phone".

This study was not experimental in nature, but in the course of it all available research materials on this topic conducted before 2012 were consolidated and thoroughly studied.

The duration of all studies ranged from two days to two years. Apparently, this is why they did not consider the aspect of human health when consuming organic or conventional food, but only chemical composition products. The subject of consideration was the content nutrients or the content of bacteria, fungi, pesticides in products (fruits, vegetables, cereals, meat, milk, poultry and eggs came under the magnifying glass).

According to the research results, scientists noted a small difference in health benefits when eating organic products instead of conventional ones. There is no difference in vitamin content. The only element whose amount is significantly higher in organic products is phosphorus, which can be significant for people with a deficiency of this substance. Amount of protein and fat, incl. Omega-3 fatty acids in organic milk - contrary to assumptions - turned out to be comparable to the value of these indicators in conventional milk. However, study leader Dr. Dena Bravata from the Center for Health Policy at Stanford University emphasizes that the difference in consumption of organic and non-organic food is really not significant - only if it concerns the nutrition of an adult who is guided solely by his own health. Those. no other environmental factors are taken into account here.

Scientists were also unable to identify any specific fruits and vegetables for which organicity in terms of usefulness would be fundamentally decisive. How the participant commented on the results research group doctor Crystal Smith-Spangler"Some people believe that organic food is always healthier and more nutritious, and we were a little surprised when we didn't find that to be the case."

However, scientists have found that conventional products are at 30% greater risk of contamination with pesticides than organic products. It is noteworthy that the organic origin of vegetables and fruits, according to their conclusion, does not guarantee 100% absence of pesticides. They also noted that, in general, the content of pesticides in products does not exceed the permissible level.

Two studies on the effects of diet on children found more high level pesticides in the urine of children fed intensively agriculture, against those who ate organic food. At the same time, the influence of this factor on children's health has not been studied. The situation is the same with the content of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in chicken and pork: the difference in indicators is significant, but the impact on the health of people eating such products has not been studied.

Thus, scientists have not discovered strict evidence that organic products more nutritious than conventional foods, or that consuming organic foods reduces health risks, but at the same time consuming organic foods reduces the risk of pesticide intoxication.

However, as Dr. Dena Bravata, voicing such research results does not aim to discourage people from buying organic products, their goal is to inform the population. At the same time, she notes that in addition to the figures included in the study, there are many other important factors influencing consumer preferences (in favor of organic products): these are the taste of products and the influence of intensive agriculture on changes environment, biodiversity, etc., which for many is the reason that determines their choice.

The researchers themselves emphasize the heterogeneity of the data they worked on (and these were more than 200 studies various methods), as well as failure to take into account factors physical impact for products (as weather conditions or soil type), as well as the huge variety in organic farming practices farms, which also greatly influences the chemical composition of grown products.

“There is one fundamental mistake that stands out to me in this study: “nutrients” and “health benefits” - what are they? Science has an exhaustive list of substances contained in foods, which together give an idea of ​​nutritional value. In the same way, the chemical composition, which is uniquely determined, affects the taste of the product. Unfortunately, many studies are conducted without proper objectivity. They study individual substances and their effects instead of studying the effects and synergies of the chemical elements in the composition.” – David Brown, permaculture expert, Australia, comments on the study.

Let me also remind you that the studies were conducted in the USA, and the same indicators in other countries may differ. And the heterogeneity of the data reduces the objectivity of the conclusions. Although, given the level of development of organic farming in Belarus, it is possible that this is exactly the situation in our country.

At the same time, these findings can hardly convince us that there is no alternative to our choice. Rather, they should spur us to a more intense desire to create everything in Belarus necessary conditions for growing more environmentally friendly, healthy products. Moreover, intensive (traditional) farming, in addition to products, also “gives” us a worsening environmental situation.

Of course, you have seen in supermarkets milk cartons with a beautiful green “ECO” sticker or eggs in the hay with the inscription “100% organic”. Perhaps they even bought it. And more than once we wondered how such products differ from non-organic ones.

A study conducted by Stanford University researchers showed that in terms of their effect on human health, organic and inorganic products from the supermarket are practically no different from each other.

The main difference is the growing method

While many people believe that organically grown foods are more nutritious and contain more vitamins and minerals, this is not entirely true. The main difference between so-called “organic” and “non-organic” foods is the way they are grown.

Organic food is ordinary food grown in the old-fashioned way without the use of synthetic pesticides, growth regulators or any other chemicals.

Non-organic foods can sometimes be even more nutritious than organic foods.

It seems that when you eat a banana with an “ECO” sticker on it, you will immediately feel thousands of nutrients flowing through your body. But a regular banana won't give you as much benefit. But when it comes to nutritional value, non-organic foods sometimes even outperform organic ones. After all, extra beta-carotene is often added to regular rice, milk is fortified with vitamin D, and fruit juices are fortified with calcium. Adding anything to organic products is strictly prohibited.

Organic milk has more iron, phosphorus and vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids

But, firstly, this is a difference of several percent, and secondly, our body usually does not suffer from a deficiency of these substances.

Organic milk and meat also contain approximately 50% more omega-3 fatty acids that are beneficial to humans. The tone of blood vessels, blood pressure, immunity and metabolism of the human body depend on them.

But even twice more Omega-3 fatty acids in milk are still too low to meet human needs. Therefore, even organic milk is significantly inferior in this regard to seafood or flax seeds.

Organic products contain fewer pesticides and microorganisms, but they are

Organic foods purchased at a significantly higher price than non-organic foods are 30% less likely to contain pesticides than non-organic foods. But they are still there. Just like GMOs. After all, the remnants of these “bad” substances can be in the seed, get on the fruit or vegetable with rain, or in some other way.

The amount of pathogenic microflora in “organic” can be the same as in “inorganic”. Although we must also take into account the integrity of Ukrainian “organic entrepreneurs” - after all, their grandfathers did not sterilize manure for fertilizer. That is, catch E. coli from you more chances specifically from organic products.

There are no objective reasons to choose only organic products yet. Organic loses at a high price, and sometimes even nutritional value. But most organic adherents claim that such products have a special taste and smell.

In life we ​​are surrounded by various bodies and objects. For example, indoors this is a window, door, table, light bulb, cup, outdoors - a car, traffic light, asphalt. Any body or object consists of matter. This article will discuss what a substance is.

What is chemistry?

Water is an essential solvent and stabilizer. It has strong heat capacity and thermal conductivity. Aquatic environment favorable for the course of the main chemical reactions. It is characterized by transparency and is practically resistant to compression.

What is the difference between inorganic and organic substances?

There are no particularly strong external differences between these two groups of substances. The main difference lies in the structure, where inorganic substances have a non-molecular structure, and organic substances have a molecular structure.

Inorganic substances have non-molecular structure Therefore, they are characterized by high melting and boiling points. They do not contain carbon. These include noble gases(neon, argon), metals (calcium, calcium, sodium), amphoteric substances (iron, aluminum) and non-metals (silicon), hydroxides, binary compounds, salts.

Organic matter molecular structure. They have enough low temperatures melting, and they quickly decompose when heated. Mainly composed of carbon. Exceptions: carbides, carbonates, carbon oxides and cyanides. Carbon allows the formation huge amount complex compounds (more than 10 million of them are known in nature).

Most of their classes belong to biological origin (carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, nucleic acids). These compounds include nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and sulfur.

To understand what a substance is, it is necessary to imagine what role it plays in our lives. By interacting with other substances, it forms new ones. Without them, the life of the surrounding world is inseparable and unthinkable. All items consist of certain substances that's why they play important role in our lives.

In chemistry, it is traditional to distinguish 2 types of substances - organic and inorganic. What is their specificity?

What are organic substances?

The concept " organic matter"in chemistry corresponds to compounds that are mostly characterized by:

1. relatively complex molecular structure;
2. Not high temperatures melting;
3. degradability when exposed to high temperatures (with the formation in many cases carbon dioxide and water);
4. the presence of carbon and hydrogen in molecules;
5. in many cases - very high molecular weight;
6. biological origin.

Common organic substances are proteins, carbohydrates, lipids. Total in modern chemistry About 18 million relevant compounds have been classified. According to researchers, it is precisely because of the presence of carbon in the molecules of organic substances that such a huge variety of them is possible. Given chemical element capable of forming the widest range of bonds with other elements.

Mainly, only organic substances are characterized by isomerism - the formation of compounds with the same set of atoms in molecules, but their different arrangements, as a result of which actually different substances are formed in terms of physical and chemical properties.

Thus, the most common isomers are glucose and fructose. They consist of molecules with the same set of atoms, but with different arrangements. The basic properties of glucose and fructose are the same, but there are also quite a lot of differences between them, and therefore they are considered as 2 different substances.

What are inorganic substances?

The concept of “inorganic substances” in chemistry corresponds to compounds that are characterized, in turn:

1. relatively simple molecular structure;
2. in some cases - very high melting temperatures;
3. in many cases - extremely difficult decomposition (for example, due to the initial simplicity of the structure);
4. relatively small molecular weight.

Carbon and hydrogen are not present in all inorganic compounds. The relevant substances are not always of biological origin.

In modern chemistry, there are significantly fewer inorganic compounds classified than organic ones - about 100 thousand. Isomerism is not typical for these substances.

One of the most common inorganic substances in the world is water. Its molecule consists of oxygen and hydrogen atoms, which individually - as gases - can also be considered as inorganic substances. Other commonly encountered types of relevant substances are metals, salts, and various binary compounds.

Comparison

There is more than one difference between organic substances and inorganic ones. The difference between them can be seen in terms of:

1. molecular structure;
2. melting temperatures, decomposition;
3. molecular weight;
4. the presence of carbon and hydrogen in the molecule;
5. origin.

The total number of inorganic substances - 100 thousand - is noticeably inferior to the number of organic substances - 18 million, if you follow the classifications common in modern chemistry.

Having determined what the difference is between organic and inorganic substances, we will reflect the conclusions in a small table.

Table