Temperature behaviour of organic compounds

Principle

Organic compounds always contain the element carbon and the carbon atoms are combined with other carbon atoms or atoms of other elements by covalent bonds. . This is the reason why the C-C or C-H bonds are stable at normal (room) temperature.

However low heat resistance is characteristic for many organic compounds. These compounds burn or carbonize when heated over a few hundred degrees Celsius. The thermal stability of organic compounds, which is low in comparison to many salts and metals, is a result of the low polar character of C-C and C-H bonds. In this experiment the students investigate the temperature behavior of molecular (organic) substances.

Learning objectives

• Properties of organic compounds
• Thermal stability
• Many organic compounds are sensitive to heating