Substances or nutrients containing Carbon are described as which type of compounds?

• A. Inorganic
• B. Metallic
• C. Organic
• D. Aqueous

Answer: (C)

Carbon’s ability to form diverse, stable structures gives organic compounds their defining role in biology. Substances that contain carbon are described as organic compounds because they form the backbone of the nutrients that supply energy, build tissues, and regulate metabolism—carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and many vitamins are all organic. In contrast, inorganic compounds typically do not contain carbon-hydrogen bonds and include minerals and water. There are carbon-containing substances like carbon dioxide or carbonates, but in nutrition they’re treated differently from the carbon-rich nutrients that serve as energy sources and structural components.