What is the main difference between inorganic and organic materials?

Inorganic materials are characterized by their lack of carbon-hydrogen bonds and generally do not come from living organisms, distinguishing them from organic compounds, which are primarily based on carbon. Inorganic substances often contain minerals, metals, and other compounds that do not have the structural complexity typically found in organic molecules.

The idea that inorganic materials lack high-energy bonds is also crucial; these materials do not typically store energy in the same way that organic compounds do. Organic compounds usually contain covalent bonds between carbon atoms, which can store significant amounts of energy, especially in the context of biological processes such as metabolism. Recognizing these fundamental differences is essential to understanding both the chemical properties and biological roles of these two categories of materials.