What is the term for compounds that lack carbon?

• A. Organic
• B. Inorganic
• C. Bioinorganic
• D. Organometallic

Answer: (B)

Compounds are grouped by carbon content: organic chemistry covers carbon-containing substances, especially those with carbon–hydrogen bonds, while inorganic chemistry deals with substances that do not contain carbon (or lack carbon–hydrogen frameworks). Because this category has no carbon in its structure, the appropriate term is inorganic. Organometallic compounds actually include metal–carbon bonds, so they’re not simply carbon-free; bioinorganic refers to the study of inorganic processes in biology, not a general label for carbon-free substances; and organic would describe carbon-containing substances, which isn’t the case here.