Dabour Hub EGEgyptian Curriculum 2026/2027
Comparison: organic and inorganic compounds

Comparison: organic and inorganic compounds

Point 4 of 15 — Lesson 1: Introduction to Organic Chemistry, Wöhler’s Synthesis and AlkanesQuestion bank: 25 questions (25 with pictures)

04 Comparison: organic and inorganic compounds

1Elements
Organic compounds
  • built mainly on carbon (always C, usually H, often O, N, halogens)
Inorganic compounds
  • may contain carbon (e.g.
  • carbonates) but mostly other elements
2Bond type
Organic compounds
  • mostly covalent
Inorganic compounds
  • mostly ionic
3Solubility
Organic compounds
  • mostly insoluble in water; soluble in organic solvents such as benzene
Inorganic compounds
  • mostly soluble in water
4Melting and boiling points
Organic compounds
  • low
Inorganic compounds
  • high
5Odour
Organic compounds
  • many have characteristic odours
Inorganic compounds
  • mostly odourless
6Combustibility
Organic compounds
  • mostly burn, giving CO₂ and H₂O
Inorganic compounds
  • mostly do not burn
7Electrical conductivity
Organic compounds
  • mostly non-conductors
Inorganic compounds
  • solutions/melts conduct (ionic)
8Reaction rate
Organic compounds
  • slow, because reactions occur between molecules
Inorganic compounds
  • usually fast, because reactions occur between ions
9Polymerisation
Organic compounds
  • many can polymerise
Inorganic compounds
  • cannot
10Isomerism
Organic compounds
  • common
Inorganic compounds
  • rare

(You can test these differences using paraffin wax, naphthalene, ethanol, acetone, glycerol as organic samples, and water, table salt and copper sulphate as inorganic ones, comparing solubility, melting point, boiling point, flammability, odour and conductivity.)

📝 Question bank for this point

25 questions linked to this point only, 25 of them with pictures.