Organic Formulae (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Co-ordinated Sciences (Double Award)): Revision Note

Displayed formulae

• Organic Chemistry is the scientific study of the structure, properties, and reactions of organic compounds.

• Organic compounds are those which contain carbon

• For conventional reasons metal carbonates, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide are not included in organic compounds

• Many of the structures you will be drawing are hydrocarbons

• A hydrocarbon is a compound that contains only hydrogen and carbon atoms

• Organic compounds can be represented in a number of ways:

  • Displayed Formulae

  • General Formulae

  • Structural Formulae

The displayed formula shows the spatial arrangement of all the atoms and bonds in a molecule

• For example:

  

• This displayed formula tells us several things about the compound

  • It has 5 carbon atoms

  • It has 12 hydrogen atoms

  • It has only single bonds