What is organic and inorganic matter and examples

The Organic matter It is that matter that is composed of carbon atoms (C), hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) for the most part. This does not mean that organic matter cannot promptly include elements such as sulfur (s) or phosphorus (P), but of course they are not its majority composition. Its links are almost always covalent and its structure is large and complex. It is synthesized by living beings.

Now that you know what the definition of organic matter is, let’s know some examples.

Within organic matter, we distinguish several main groups that depend on the chemical structure, which in turn determines its properties. These are some Examples of organic matter According to these groups:

Carbohydrates or sugars

Carbohydrates receive this name because they are composed exclusively of carbon chains in which hydrogen and oxygen atoms are coupled (water components, or H2O). Simple monosaccharides or sugars can be divided into several groups according to the number of carbons they have in their “skeleton.”

Thus, we find:

• Triosas
• Tetrosas
• Pentosas
• Hexosous

In addition, these chains can become rings. In fact, this is how they are usually found in a solution, that is, in any living being. The paradigmatic example of a cyclical hexose is glucosesugar that serves to store energy.

Some monosaccharides have the ability to join long chains with ramifications, which are called polysaccharides. Thus, glucose units (monosaccharide) become glycogen chains (polysaccharide), which is stored in our liver and our muscles and serves as a reservoir of Fast energy and easy to mobilize. The cellulose It is also one of these polysaccharides.

Lipids or fats

Lipids are formed, at least in part of their structure, by long Hydrogen saturated carbon chains. Thus, a triacylglycerido, one of the lipids that you have sure have heard, is formed by three of these chains finished in an acid group, which joins a unit of glycerin (Short three -carbon molecule).

Another of the most important lipids is cholesterol, an essential element for life. Lipids also function as Energy reservoir (more difficult to mobilize than glycogen). They also have an important structural role: they are the main component of all cell membranes.

Proteins

The basic unit of Protein It is the amino acida molecule that in addition to carbon, hydrogen and oxygen It also includes at least nitrogen. Although some more rare amino acids have been discovered, one usually speaks of a total of 20 different amino acids, among which are lysine (LYS), proline (pro) or aspartic acid (ASP).

Amino acids can form long chains that bend on themselves, acquiring helical, laminar or globular structures, which in turn can be combined in complex superstructure. The basic role of proteins is structural and functional, that is, most of the molecular support and enzymatic structures form.

Nucleic acids

Nucleic acids include deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and all oxyribonucleic acid variants (RNA). In addition to nitrogen they include phosphate. The main unit is the (desoxi) ribonucleotide, which like proteins and sugars come together to form long chains.

In nucleic acids the chains generally adopt a helical or globular structure. They are of vital importance, since they preserve and recover all the information contained in the cell.

Other examples of organic matter

Here we find vitamins, hormones, small hydrocarbons such as methane (CH4) and, in general, a wide variety of molecules that, although they may not be especially abundant, can play papers essential for life.

As we have seen, these are essential elements for life, but if you want to learn more about it, we recommend you read this other ecology article about the characteristics of planet Earth that make life possible.

Now that you know what are the characteristics of organic matter and its definition with examples, we will find out what inorganic matter is.

The Inorganic matter It is that subject not fundamentally formed by C, H and O (Although they can carry these elements in their composition), and their links are mostly of ionic or metallic types. Although these elements are also in living beings, they do it in small proportions and, mainly, they are “out of them”, in inert materials.

Inorganic matter is classified fundamentally according to the number of elements that make up the molecule. As well as Inorganic matter examples We find:

Noble and metal gases

The noble gases are found atomicallysince they do not need to combine with other atoms to remain stable. On the other hand, metals can be grouped into networks that include many atoms, but that can all be the same element. Examples of noble gases are helium (he) or argon (ar). We also find metals such as iron (faith) or aluminum (al).

Binary compounds

They are formed by two atoms of different elements. We find binary salts, metal oxides and metal hydros. For example, sulfur oxide (SO3) is a very polluting element.

TERNARY COMPOUNDS

Are Combinations of three elementssuch as hydroxides (such as potassium or potassium hydroxide, koh) or strong acids, for example sulfuric acid (H2SO4), both important corrosive agents being.

To expand more information on this subject, we recommend reading this other ecology article in which there are more simple examples of what is the difference between living beings and inert beings, that is, those composed of organic matter and materials composed of inorganic matter.

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