Welcome to my Chemistry Space!
I’m Inamjazbi from Learn Chemistry, and today we’re lifting the curtain on what makes organic compounds so fascinating. From their delicate reactivity to their incredible variety, these molecules form the storytelling core of carbon chemistry.
Let’s wander through this chapter together and uncover the personality traits of organic substances that every student should know.
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🌿🔥 General Characteristics of Organic Compounds | The Hidden Personality of Carbon Chemistry

🟦1. Presence of Carbon and fewer Elements/Unique Composition
Carbon is an essential constituent of all organic compounds. They are made up of few elements such as carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, phosphorus, oxygen, sulphur, halogens, etc.
🟦2. Living Origin
Naturally occurring organic compounds are obtained from living things i.e. plants & animals &minerals.
🟦3. Catenation (a unique property of carbon)
Organic compounds are composed of carbon atoms. One of the remarkable property of carbon atom is its distinctive and unique capacity (ability) to form covalent bonds with other carbon atoms. The distinctive and unique property of carbon of forming covalent bonds with itself in many different ways to give long chain, branch chain and cyclic compounds is called catenation.

🟦4. Non-ionic character or Covalent nature
Organic compounds contain covalent bonds formed by the sharing of electrons that may be polar or non-polar. Organic compounds contains carbon is the essential element which has four valence electrons. Carbon atom does not have the ability to lose or gain four electrons as it requires very high energy.
🟦5. Solubility only in non-polar solvents and insolubility in water
The solubility of organic compounds vary widely depending on their chemical structure and the nature of the solvent.
For example:
🔥Water-soluble organic Compounds (Polar organic compounds)
Organic compounds containing polar functional group like –OH, –COOH etc. with small hydrocarbon chain are water soluble due to their ability to form hydrogen bonds with water molecules. For instance; ethanol (C₂H₅OH) and acetic acid (CH₃COOH) are both water-soluble organic compounds.
🔥Water-insoluble organic Compounds (Non-polar organic compounds)
Non-polar organic compounds such as hydrocarbons are insoluble in water obeying general rule of solubility like dissolves like but are soluble in non-polar solvents like hexane or diethyl ether, benzene, etc. For instance; hexane (C₆H₁₄) and toluene (C₆H₅CH₃) show poor solubility in water due to their non-polar nature but readily soluble in non-polar solvents.
🟦6. Low melting and boiling points and High volatility
Generally, organic compounds in comparison to inorganic compounds have lower melting and boiling points and are volatile in nature due to weaker intermolecular forces found in their molecules, which are easily overcome by thermal energy. They exist as gases, liquids and soft solids.
🟦7. Combustibility and Flammability (highly flammable characters)
The majority of organic compounds are highly combustible and readily burn and react with oxygen of air to form common product carbon dioxide (due to high percentage of carbon) and water, thereby releasing heat. That is why, most fuels like wood, coal, gasoline, natural gas etc. are organic and their burning provides primary sources of heat energy. The combustion reaction of methane is given below:
CH₄₍g₎ + 2O₂₍g₎ → CO₂₍g₎ + 2H₂O₍g₎ + Heat energy
🟦8. Slow Rate of Reactivity/Slow rates of organic reactions with low yield
The rate of reactivity of organic compounds is very slow, the yields are low and need specific conditions like heating, mixing and a catalyst to accelerate the reaction. Organic reactions are substantially slower than the ionic reaction.
The slow rate of the organic reactions is due to the molecular nature of organic compounds because they involve breaking and making of bonds which require more time.
🟦9. Isomerism
isomerism is a characteristic of organic compounds by virtue of which compounds having a single molecular formula (i.e. same number of atoms) may represent two or more compounds with different molecular structures and distinct properties. The compounds are said to be isomers if they have the same molecular formula but different arrangement of atoms in their molecules or different structural formulae.
For example:
butane with molecular formula C₄H₁₀ exists in two isomeric forms n-butane where the carbon atoms form a straight chain and isobutene where the carbon atoms form a branched structure.
n-butane: CH₃–CH₂–CH₂–CH₃
iso-butane: CH₃–CH(CH₃)– CH₃
🟦10. Polymerization
Polymerization is the process of forming a single long chain giant molecule from small organic molecules called monomers through addition or condensation process. The macromolecules thus formed is known as polymer.
For example
The condensation polymerization of terephthalic acid (a dicarboxylic acid) with ethylene glycol (a diol) give polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is a common type of polyester used in various application including textiles, packaging and beverage containers.
🟦11. Electrical Conductivity/Non-conductance of electricity
organic compounds are non-conductors of electricity because they consist of covalent molecules.
🟦12. Less Stability
Since organic compounds have low melting & boiling points, they are less stable than inorganic compounds.

🌿💫 Summary: General Characteristics of Organic Compounds

🟩 1. Mostly Carbon-Based
Organic compounds are built around carbon, forming the backbone of rings, chains, and frameworks that feel almost architectural.
🟦 2. Covalent Bonding Rules Their World
They rely on covalent bonds, giving them gentle boiling points, flexible structures, and subtle reactions.
🟧 3. Low Melting & Boiling Points
Because their molecules cling weakly, many organic substances melt or boil at lower temperatures.
🟪 4. Mostly Non-Conductors
Electricity hardly notices them. They rarely conduct because there are no free ions roaming inside.
🟩 5. Highly Flammable
Carbon + hydrogen = excellent fuel. Many organic compounds burn easily, producing CO₂ and water.
🟦 6. Soluble in Organic Solvents
They love to dissolve in solvents like ether, benzene, alcohol, and chloroform.
Water? Only if they have polar groups.
🟧 7. Slow & Sensitive Reactions
Organic reactions often need catalysts, heat, UV light, or special conditions. They behave like careful dancers, not sprinters.
🟪 8. Isomerism Everywhere
Same formula, different shapes. Isomers make organic chemistry feel like a puzzle with multiple correct answers.
🟩 9. Vast Diversity
Chains, rings, branches, functional groups—organic compounds multiply into millions, each with unique behavior.
🟦 10. Thermal Decomposition
Heat them too much and they break apart instead of melting smoothly.

🌿⚡ Quickfire Summary: Core Features of Organic Compounds (MDCAT | ECAT)

✨1. Peculiar nature of Carbon
⚡(i) Tetravalency → (allow carbon to form four bonds at a time)
⚡(ii) Catenation → (a unique self-bonding property of carbon)
⚡(iii) Moderate electropositivity → (allow carbon to form strong covalent bonds with other atoms)
✨2. Living Origin → (OC are obtained from living organisms)
✨3. Covalent nature or non-ionic character → (covalent bonds that may be polar or non-polar)
✨4. Solubility only in non-polar solvents → (Water-soluble Polar organic Compounds and Water-insoluble Non-polar organic Compounds (organic compounds)
✨5. Non-conductance of electricity → (due to lack of ions)
✨6. Low melting and boiling points → (weaker intermolecular forces)
✨7. Less Stability → (low melting points)
✨8. Combustibility and High volatility and Flammability → (due to weak intermolecular forces)
✨9. Slow Rate of Reactivity/Slow rates of organic reactions with low yield → (molecular reactions)
✨10. Complexity in structure → (ability to form long chains and rings)
✨11. Similarity in behaviour → (homologous series)
✨12. Isomerism → (existence in two more structural formulae with same molecular formula)
✨13. Polymerization → (a process of formation of giant polymeric molecules from small monomers)

🌟🔥 MDCAT & ECAT Chemistry MCQs – General Characteristics of Organic Compounds | Learn Chemistry by Inam Jazbi

Welcome to Inamjazbi Learn Chemistry! 🚀 Here, we make organic chemistry simple, colorful, and exam-ready. Practice these high-yield MCQs to master the general characteristics of organic compounds for MDCAT, ECAT, and other exams. Let’s boost your scores together! 🌿💡

1️⃣ Organic compounds mainly consist of:
🟥 A. Carbon and hydrogen
🟦 B. Metals only
🟩 C. Ionic salts
🟨 D. Water
2️⃣ Bonding in organic compounds is mostly:
🟥 A. Covalent
🟦 B. Ionic
🟩 C. Metallic
🟨 D. Hydrogen
3️⃣ Organic compounds can exhibit:
🟥 A. Isomerism
🟦 B. No isomerism
🟩 C. Only salts
🟨 D. Only metals
4️⃣ Melting and boiling points of organic compounds are usually:
🟥 A. Low
🟦 B. High
🟩 C. Always solid
🟨 D. Always liquid
5️⃣ Reactions like substitution, addition, and elimination are:
🟥 A. Typical for organic compounds
🟦 B. Rare in organic compounds
🟩 C. Only precipitation
🟨 D. Only neutralization
6️⃣ Organic compounds often contain:
🟥 A. Functional groups
🟦 B. Only metals
🟩 C. Only salts
🟨 D. No reactive groups
7️⃣ Solubility in water depends on:
🟥 A. Presence of functional groups
🟦 B. Molecular weight only
🟩 C. Chain length only
🟨 D. Always insoluble
8️⃣ Organic compounds can form:
🟥 A. Rings and chains
🟦 B. Rings only
🟩 C. Chains only
🟨 D. Neither
9️⃣ Catenation in organic compounds refers to:
🟥 A. Carbon atoms forming chains
🟦 B. Hydrogen atoms forming chains
🟩 C. Metal chains
🟨 D. Ionic lattices
🔟 Organic compounds are mostly:
🟥 A. Non-polar
🟦 B. Ionic
🟩 C. Metallic
🟨 D. Polar salts
1️⃣1️⃣ Organic compounds can undergo:
🟥 A. Polymerization
🟦 B. Only crystallization
🟩 C. Only ionic reactions
🟨 D. Only neutralization
1️⃣2️⃣ Reaction rates are usually:
🟥 A. Slow without catalysts
🟦 B. Always fast
🟩 C. Instantaneous
🟨 D. Do not react
1️⃣3️⃣ Organic compounds can contain heteroatoms like:
🟥 A. O, N, S, P, halogens
🟦 B. Only C and H
🟩 C. Only metals
🟨 D. Only salts
1️⃣4️⃣ Many organic compounds are:
🟥 A. Flammable
🟦 B. Non-flammable
🟩 C. React only in water
🟨 D. React only in air
1️⃣5️⃣ Organic compounds exist in:
🟥 A. Vast numbers due to diversity and isomerism
🟦 B. Small numbers
🟩 C. Only simple molecules
🟨 D. Only metallic forms
1️⃣6️⃣ Optical and structural isomerism occurs because of:
🟥 A. Variation in chain, position, and functional groups
🟦 B. Only chain length
🟩 C. Only functional groups
🟨 D. No variation
1️⃣7️⃣ Organic compounds are usually:
🟥 A. Low melting solids or volatile liquids
🟦 B. Hard solids
🟩 C. Always gaseous
🟨 D. Always aqueous
1️⃣8️⃣ Heteroatoms in organic compounds affect:
🟥 A. Reactivity and polarity
🟦 B. Only solubility
🟩 C. Only color
🟨 D. Only melting point
1️⃣9️⃣ Diversity of organic compounds is mainly due to:
🟥 A. Chain length, branching, functional groups, and isomerism
🟦 B. Presence of metals
🟩 C. Only salts
🟨 D. Only water content
2️⃣0️⃣ Organic compounds’ magnitude is:
🟥 A. Extremely vast
🟦 B. Small
🟩 C. Limited to hydrocarbons
🟨 D. Limited to salts

✅ Answers
1️⃣ 🟥 A
2️⃣ 🟥 A
3️⃣ 🟥 A
4️⃣ 🟥 A
5️⃣ 🟥 A
6️⃣ 🟥 A
7️⃣ 🟥 A
8️⃣ 🟥 A
9️⃣ 🟥 A
🔟 🟥 A
1️⃣1️⃣ 🟥 A
1️⃣2️⃣ 🟥 A
1️⃣3️⃣ 🟥 A
1️⃣4️⃣ 🟥 A
1️⃣5️⃣ 🟥 A
1️⃣6️⃣ 🟥 A
1️⃣7️⃣ 🟥 A
1️⃣8️⃣ 🟥 A
1️⃣9️⃣ 🟥 A
2️⃣0️⃣ 🟥 A

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