Differences between organic and inorganic compounds

• The number of organic compounds is much greater than inorganic compounds,

and this is due to the special ability of carbon atom to join with other carbon
atoms in rings, chains and other geometric forms. There are more than 10 million
organic compounds known to us today.

• Organic compounds have much lower melting and boiling points than inorganic
compounds though there are exceptions. Due to covalent bonds instead of ionic

• Generally, organic compounds are less soluble in water than inorganic

compounds.

• Organic compounds are more inflammable (more volatile) but are poorer
conductors of heat and electricity than inorganic compounds.

• Organic compounds react at a slower rate and produce much more complex set
of products than inorganic compounds.

• Organic compounds are derived from activities of living organisms while

inorganic compounds are formed due to natural processes or are made in lab.
However Wohler found exceptions to this.

• Because of the covalency of carbon, organic compounds are unable to make

salts while inorganic compounds make salts.

• Organic compounds always contain carbon while inorganic compounds contain

metal and other elements.

• Carbon-Hydrogen bonds are the characteristic of organic compounds while

these are not found in inorganic compounds.

• Inorganic compounds contain metal atoms while they are never found in organic
compounds.

• Inorganic compounds are mineral while organic compounds are biological in

nature.

• Organic compounds are covalent while inorganic compounds are covalent as

well as ionic in nature.

• There are long, complex chains of molecules in organic compounds whereas

this is not a property of inorganic compounds.

• Organic compounds can be a source of energy for living things while inorganic
compounds are catalysts.