Carboncontaining

Carbon-containing is an adjective used to describe chemical substances that include carbon atoms in their molecular structure. The term emphasizes the presence of carbon, distinguishing these substances from those that do not contain carbon. While the label is broad, many carbon-containing substances are categorized as organic compounds, which typically feature carbon–hydrogen bonds. However, some inorganic compounds also contain carbon, such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, carbonates (for example, calcium carbonate), cyanides, and carbides.

Classification and examples can be nuanced. Organic carbon-containing compounds form the vast majority of known chemical species and include hydrocarbons (methane, ethane), carbohydrates (glucose), proteins, and many polymers. Inorganic carbon-containing species include simple oxides and salts of carbon (CO, CO2, CO3^2−) and some complex materials like graphite, diamond, and silicon carbide. The boundary between organic and inorganic carbon-containing chemistry is sometimes blurred, particularly in industrial contexts.

Significance and applications are broad. Carbon-containing materials underpin energy resources (fossil fuels), industrial chemistry, and everyday products (plastics, pharmaceuticals). They also play central roles in biology and ecology, forming the basis of organic life and the carbon cycle. In environmental science, carbon-containing compounds are examined for their roles as greenhouse gases, pollutants, or feedstocks for sustainable chemistry. Detecting and understanding the carbon content of substances is a common first step in characterizing materials and assessing their properties and impacts.