Question

What is the difference between organic chemistry and biochemistry?

Answer 1

Hint: Chemistry is widely used in various aspects. There are various types like inorganic, organic chemistry, biochemistry, environmental chemistry, nuclear chemistry. These all deal with the molecular and chemical aspects of their respective branches, like biology, environment, etc.

Complete answer:
Chemistry has been divided into certain branches with wider applications. The methods and processes of chemistry are not bound to the reactions we study, rather these reactions are applicable for the abundant applications, for instance in our body.
As we know, organic chemistry involves the study of various organic molecules that are composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen bonds. While biochemistry involves the study of chemicals present in our body. It has organic chemistry as the backbone for the study of various biological molecules.
Some of the major differences between organic chemistry and biochemistry are:
- Organic chemistry deals with the reactions and mechanisms of organic molecules, which may or may not be found in living organisms. Biochemistry involves the study of reactions and processes that happen inside living organisms.
- Organic chemistry has the study of almost all the organic molecules, their physical and chemical properties, for example alkanes, alkynes or alcohols. Biochemistry consists of the study of molecules inside the living body, like proteins, carbohydrates, nucleic acids, lipids, etc.
- Organic chemistry deals with the basic concepts involved in the reactions, while biochemistry consists of more complex processes like, metabolic process, translation, transcription, etc.
- Organic chemistry is limited to the reactions between carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen. While biochemistry is much wider and apart from processes in the body, it deals with DNA, RNA and genetic modifications in the biomolecules.
Hence, organic chemistry and biochemistry have different applications and approaches.

Note:
Studying biochemistry is not possible without the study of organic chemistry. The reactions of organic chemistry are the basis in biochemistry. For instance, the acting of enzymes as a catalyst requires the knowledge of catalysts, the synthesis of ATP requires the pre – requisites from organic reactions, the structures and bonding of biomolecules require basics of organic chemistry.