Organic Chemistry Quiz: Part 1

Carbon's Covalent Bonding: Organic chemistry is the study of carbon compounds. Carbon has four valence electrons, allowing it to form four strong covalent bonds. This tetravalency is the key to the vast array of organic structures.

Chemical Formulas: An empirical formula shows the simplest whole-number ratio of atoms (e.g., $CH_2O$). A molecular formula shows the actual number of atoms in a molecule (e.g., $C_6H_{12}O_6$). A structural formula shows how the atoms are connected.

Isomerism: Isomers are different compounds with the same molecular formula. Structural isomers, the focus here, have different atomic connectivity. For example, butane and isobutane are structural isomers of $C_4H_{10}$.