Which of the following compounds is considered organic?

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

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the definition of organic compounds: Organic compounds primarily contain carbon atoms bonded to hydrogen atoms, often along with other elements such as oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, and halogens.
2. Examine each compound to identify if it contains carbon-hydrogen (C-H) bonds, which is a key characteristic of organic molecules.
3. For sodium chloride (NaCl), recognize that it is an ionic compound composed of sodium and chloride ions, with no carbon atoms present, so it is inorganic.
4. For methane (\[CH_4\]), note that it contains carbon bonded to four hydrogen atoms, fitting the definition of an organic compound.
5. For carbon dioxide (\[CO_2\]) and water (\[H_2O\]), although carbon dioxide contains carbon, it lacks carbon-hydrogen bonds, and water contains no carbon, so both are considered inorganic.