carbohydrates - CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF A CARBON ATOM ALLOWING FOR THE FORMATION OF DIVERSE COMPOUNDS UPON WHICH LIFE IS BASED

organic vs inorganic molecules

Organic molecules in organisms are generally larger and more complex than inorganic molecules. They form the cells of an organism and perform the chemical reactions that facilitate life.

biomolecules

All of these molecules, called biomolecules because they are part of living matter, contain carbon, which is the building block of life. Their carbon skeletons are held together by covalent bonds.

carbon and covalent bonds

Individual carbon atoms have an incomplete outermost electron shell. With an atomic number of 6 (six electrons and six protons), the first two electrons fill the inner shell, leaving four in the second shell.

Therefore, carbon atoms can form up to four covalent bonds with other atoms to satisfy the octet rule.

Most abundant elements in cells

The most abundant element in cells is hydrogen (H), followed by carbon (C), oxygen (O), nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), and sulfur (S).

The four most abundant elements in living matter (C, N, O, and H) have

low atomic numbers and are thus light elements capable of forming strong bonds with other atoms to produce molecules

How a carbon skeleton is produced

As a result of carbon’s unique combination of size and bonding properties, carbon atoms can bind together in large numbers, thus producing a chain or carbon skeleton

Carbon skeleton variety

• Carbon skeleton of organic molecules can be straight, branched, cyclic

• Organic molecules are built on chains of carbon atoms on varying lengths-
  most are typically very long, which allows for

  a huge number and variety of compounds

Isomers

Same carbon atom may bond together in different ways to yield diffrent molecules called isomers

Isomers may di