Which of the following is an organic compound?

A. Ammonia [tex]$\left( NH_3 \right)$[/tex]
B. Calcium sulfide (CaS)
C. Octane [tex]$\left( C_8 H_{18} \right)$[/tex]
D. Sulfur trioxide [tex]$\left( SO_3 \right)$[/tex]



Answer :

To determine which of the given compounds is an organic compound, we need to understand what constitutes an organic compound. Organic compounds are typically characterized by the presence of carbon atoms bonded to hydrogen atoms, often in the form of carbon-hydrogen (C-H) bonds.

Here are the given compounds:

1. Ammonia ([tex]$NH_3$[/tex]):
- This compound consists of nitrogen and hydrogen atoms.
- It does not contain any carbon atoms.
- Therefore, ammonia is not an organic compound.

2. Calcium sulfide ([tex]$CaS$[/tex]):
- This compound consists of calcium and sulfur atoms.
- It does not contain any carbon atoms.
- Therefore, calcium sulfide is not an organic compound.

3. Octane ([tex]$C_8H_{18}$[/tex]):
- This compound consists of carbon and hydrogen atoms.
- It has carbon atoms bonded to hydrogen atoms.
- This is a characteristic feature of organic compounds.
- Therefore, octane is an organic compound.

4. Sulfur trioxide ([tex]$SO_3$[/tex]):
- This compound consists of sulfur and oxygen atoms.
- It does not contain any carbon atoms.
- Therefore, sulfur trioxide is not an organic compound.

From this analysis, we see that the only compound in the list that fits the criteria for an organic compound is octane ([tex]$C_8H_{18}$[/tex]).

Thus, the organic compound among the given options is octane (C_8H_{18}).