Carbon

Properties

• commonly bonds to hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen

• can form four bonds due to it’s electron configuration

  • has a tetrahedral shape

    • double bonds create different shapes

  • allows for it to create large chains

    • create carbon skeletons

    • vary in different organic molecules (length & shape)

      • hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, and carbon make up in organisms is typically uniform

  • allows for diverse substances

• properties depend on the carbon skeleton and chemical groups

Hydrocarbons

• organic molecules consisting of only carbon and hydrogen

• able to undergo reactions to release large amounts of energy

• specific functions depend on functional groups