Organic compounds are compounds that primarily consist of carbon atoms bonded together with other elements such as hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, and more. These compounds are essential to life and are found in all living organisms, as well as in fossil fuels, plastics, drugs, and many other materials. Organic chemistry is the branch of chemistry that studies the structure, properties, reactions, and synthesis of organic compounds. Researchers in this area explore how organic compounds are formed, how they interact with each other, and how they can be manipulated for various applications in industries such as pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and materials science.