Which of the following is an example of an organic compound?

• A. ${\mathrm{CO}}_2$ (carbon dioxide)
• B. $\mathrm{NaCl}$ (sodium chloride)
• C. $H_{2}O$ (water)
• D. ${\mathrm{CH}}_4$ (methane)

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the definition of an organic compound: Organic compounds primarily contain carbon atoms bonded to hydrogen atoms, often along with other elements like oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, etc.
2. Examine each given compound to identify if it fits the criteria of an organic compound:
3. 1. \(\mathrm{CO_2}\) (carbon dioxide) contains carbon but is bonded to oxygen only, and is considered an inorganic compound.
4. 2. \(\mathrm{NaCl}\) (sodium chloride) is an ionic compound made of sodium and chlorine, with no carbon atoms, so it is inorganic.
5. 3. \(\mathrm{H_2O}\) (water) contains hydrogen and oxygen but no carbon, so it is inorganic.
6. 4. \(\mathrm{CH_4}\) (methane) contains carbon bonded to hydrogen atoms, fitting the definition of an organic compound.