Examples Of Chemical Compounds

According to the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), chemical compounds are nothing but substances made of two or more chemical elements strung together. There are over a million different identified types of compounds that exist, and have been studied, all around and within us. These compounds are said to be held with special chemical bonds in a determined ratio that defines what type of chemical compound will be formed. Ionic, covalent and organic compounds are three of the most important classifications of compounds, and these are generally differentiated on the basis of the chemical constituents and the forces that bind them together. All the known compounds in science are signified by a special chemical formula that states the specific ratio of the chemical constituents in each of the compound’s molecules. It is now important to understand what role these chemical compounds play in our daily lives. From frying an egg to filling fuel at the petrol bunk, chemical compounds exist all around us, but we do not consciously recognize these different ‘bonded’ components and compounds. Scroll down for examples of chemical compounds.

Chemical Compounds

There are a few simple compounds that we use in our everyday lives and these are extremely easy to spot. Some of these compounds are crucial backbones of everyday products that we consume and use on a daily basis. These come in the form of universal, covalent and organic compounds.

Universal Compounds

H₂O or water is, one of the most fundamental and the most abundant compounds on the surface of the earth. Water is a universal solvent and is commonly found in all states of matter, be it solids, liquids or gases. Fundamentally, there would be no life without the presence of H₂O; it is also an important constituent of the human body. It is a known fact that water, being the most integral part of existence, is a generic but the only dynamic compound in the world with its two hydrogen atoms bonded to one oxygen atom. Hexagonally shaped, these molecules fall under the covalent category.
Who would have ever thought that a particle of salt could contain, and encompass within it, a very complex compound structure? The chemical compound that makes salt is primarily composed of Sodium Chloride (NaCl), and is one of the most ubiquitous examples of chemical compounds that are used in our everyday life. We use salt on an everyday basis and it would be practically impossible to cook food without salt or even preserve the balance of life without it. Salts are made of two important components, viz. Sodium and Chloride, strung together in a definite ratio.
It is a known fact that ‘gas’ is a naturally occurring mixture that consists primarily of 90% Methane (or CH₄) along with varying compositions of other gases such as carbon dioxide, ethane, propane, oxygen and hydrogen molecules. It would be virtually impossible for any sort of life to exist on the planet without the presence of gas, making it a crucial example of an omnipresent chemical compound.

Covalent Compounds

Apart from water, there is a wide variety of other pervasive covalent bonds that are characterized by their unique chemical bonding process.
Ammonium Chloride (NH₄Cl) is an important covalent chemical compound, and is also a very unique example of a special case of covalent bonding. The electrons required for the bonding of the compound are provided by the same compound which makes it unique. This compound is primarily used as food additive, fluxing agent, medicine and also for industrial and agricultural purposes.
Hydrogen molecules (H₂) are also crucial examples of covalent chemical compounds that primarily use the simplest atom known to mankind; hydrogen. These are commonly used in hydrogenation of fat and metallurgical purposes.

Organic Compounds

Organic compounds are found in abundance all around us and form the basis of many of the products that are used today. The wide use of organic compounds has made the existence of man an easier task. It would be impossible to live a life without the use of these compounds.
One of the chief examples of an organic chemical compound would be the essential components of the human body. These come in the form of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Proteins make up essentially 70% of a human body while carbohydrates, fats and lipids contribute to various bodily functions such as tissue growth, hormone secretion and storage etc.
Air is also an important organic compound which is an excellent example of universal compounds.
Alcohols ((CH₃)₂CHOH) are primarily made of organic compounds and are perfect examples of this classification. Urea, Vitamins, Ketones and Xylene are other additional examples of organic chemical compounds.
The food we eat on a daily basis is also made up of organic compounds strung together in the form of amino acids, carbohydrates and fat that is later broken down by the body. Food additives, coloring, and the clothes we wear are also made of organic, chemical compounds.
Gases used as fuels are also organic compounds, such as, gasoline that is made of a mixture of heptane and octane and other types of fuel such as benzene.

Other Chemical Compounds

Mouthwashes are made of EtOH and are essential chemical compounds that are used on an everyday basis, after brushing.
Bleach (NaOCl) is another organic compound used in the washing of clothes and/or to lighten hair on the head and face.
Sugar, an important food additive, is made of a covalent bond of two molecules of glucose strung together in a specified ratio (C₆H₁₂O₆-C₆H₁₂O₆).
Baking Soda (NaHCO₃) made out Sodium Bicarbonate is required for everyday kitchen and washing uses.
Plastics, as defined by organic chemistry, are formed with Polyethylene (-CH₂CH₂-)n or Teflon properties, that are required in the production of plastic products and polythene bags to name a few.

Chemical compounds are more like the lifeline and the driving forces behind the functioning and the actuality of this planet. Although their properties cannot be seen or studied under the naked eye, these compounds are the reasons behind the existence of human beings and the environment or materials that we see, touch or feel.

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Examples Of Chemical Compounds

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