Inorganic Precursors
Definition
These are simple compounds, often containing elements like carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and sulfur, which participate in chemical reactions to form more complex molecules.
Analogy
Think of inorganic precursors as the basic ingredients for a cake. Just like you need flour, sugar and eggs to bake a cake, cells need these simple compounds to create more complex structures.
Related terms
Element: A substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical means.
Compound: A substance made up of two or more different elements joined by chemical bonds.
Chemical Reaction: A process that leads to the transformation of one set of chemical substances to another.
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