How does carbon form macromolecules?
1 Answer. Carbon has four valence electrons in its outermost shell and needs eight to become stable. Therefore, carbon can easily form covalent bonds with other atoms to form organic macromolecules.
What properties of carbon allow it to form macromolecules?
Since carbon is able to covalently bond to many different types of atoms, it is able to form large molecules with a wide variety of shapes and configurations. This would explain why carbon is capable of forming different types of macromolecules.
Why is carbon uniquely suited to be the most important element of the molecules of life?
Why is carbon so basic to life? The reason is carbon's ability to form stable bonds with many elements, including itself. This property allows carbon to form a huge variety of very large and complex molecules.
What makes carbon such a unique element?
Carbon atoms are unique because they can bond together to form very long, durable chains that can have branches or rings of various sizes and often contain thousands of carbon atoms. Silicon and a few other elements can form similar chains; but they are generally shorter, and much less durable.
Why is carbon a good backbone for macromolecules?
Because a C atom can form covalent bonds to as many as four other atoms, it's well suited to form the basic skeleton, or “backbone,” of a macromolecule.
How is the structure of carbon related to its function in macromolecules?
How is the structure of carbon related to its function in macromolecules? Think about the types of shapes carbon can form and why. Carbon atoms have four valance electrons. This allows them to form strong covalent bonds with a number of elements.
Why does carbon form so many macromolecules?
Because a C atom can form covalent bonds to as many as four other atoms, it's well suited to form the basic skeleton, or “backbone,” of a macromolecule.
Why is the element carbon considered unique and versatile?
Carbon is versatile because it can form single, double, and triple bonds. It can also form chains, branched chains, and rings when connected to other carbon atoms.
Why is carbon important for forming complicated molecules?
Carbon can form up to 4 covalent bonds, and it can form reasonably strong bonds with nitrogen, oxygen, and other heteroatoms.
What is the special ability of carbon that makes it unique from other elements?
Carbon has an exceptional ability to bind with a wide variety of other elements. Carbon makes four electrons available to form covalent chemical bonds, allowing carbon atoms to form multiple stable bonds with other small atoms, including hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen.
What makes carbon such a unique element quizlet?
Carbon is a unique element because it's atom has four unpaired electrons in it's outer energy level. Having four electrons it the outermost shell makes carbon an element that easily bonds with other atoms.
Why is carbon sort of unique and so prevalent in biological molecules?
Why is carbon so prevalent in biological molecules, such as nucleic acids? – Carbon-based molecules can take on a number of different shapes. – Carbon can form up to four covalent bonds with other atoms. – Carbon can share electrons with hydrogen to form hydrocarbons.
Is carbon a macromolecule?
The macromolecules are a subset of organic molecules (any carbon-containing liquid, solid, or gas) that are especially important for life. The fundamental component for all of these macromolecules is carbon.
What are the 3 unique properties of carbon?
The unique properties shown by carbon are:
- Tetravalency of carbon.
- Catenation.
- Isomerism.
What is unique about carbon and carbon based compounds?
Carbon is the only element that can form so many different compounds because each carbon atom can form four chemical bonds to other atoms, and because the carbon atom is just the right, small size to fit in comfortably as parts of very large molecules.
Why is carbon important for covalent molecules?
Due to its four valence electrons, carbon is the smallest element that is able to make covalent bonds to four different atoms. Because of this, large, heavily branched compounds can be made by stringing together carbon and a few other nonmetallic atoms in various arrangements.
What characteristics of carbon give it its unique bonding properties?
What characteristics of carbon give it its unique bonding properties? Carbon has a few unique bonding properties – the most important of which is its ability to form long chains of carbon. No other elements can do this.
What characteristics of carbon enable it to make a variety of different molecules quizlet?
Carbon has four valence molecules, is very abundant, and carbon creates very strong covalent bonds. Carbon's four valence electrons allows the molecules to create four different covalent bonds, and it makes it much easier to bond to other molecules.
Which explains why carbon C is such a versatile element?
Carbon is called as versatile element due to it's SELF-LINKING property. It means carbon can form single double and triple bonds with other carbon atoms. It is the unique property of carbon. By this they form long branched chains and rings with other carbon atoms.
How does carbon become part of organic molecules?
Photosynthesis by land plants, bacteria, and algae converts carbon dioxide or bicarbonate into organic molecules. Organic molecules made by photosynthesizers are passed through food chains, and cellular respiration converts the organic carbon back into carbon dioxide gas.
What are the 4 unique properties of carbon?
The unique properties shown by carbon are: 1) Tetravalency of carbon 2) Catenation 3) Isomerism
- Tetravalency of carbon.
- Catenation.
- Isomerism.
What unique characteristic does the bonding of carbon to other atoms have and why is this important for organic molecules quizlet?
What characteristic of carbon atoms makes it a good element to create complex organic molecules? The fact that carbon will bond readily with many other elements makes it a good element to create complex molecules. This characteristic exists because of carbon's 4 valence electrons.
Why carbon forms a large variety of compounds?
Carbon is the only element that can form so many different compounds because each carbon atom can form four chemical bonds to other atoms and because the carbon atom is just the right, small size to fit in comfortably as parts of very large molecules.
What is the reason why carbon can form four covalent bond?
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.
What are the two unique properties of carbon?
Catenation (self linking of carbon atoms to form long chains) and Tetravalency are the two properties of carbon which lead to the formation of a large number of carbon compounds.
What are the three unique nature of carbon?
Some unique properties shown by carbon atom are : a Tetravalency b Catenation c Ability to form multiple bonds. a Tetravalency : Atomic number of carbon is 6. Its electronic configuration is 2 4. Therefore it has four electrons in its valence shell.
What property of carbon makes it so important in the formation of molecules in life quizlet?
Carbon can bond to four other atoms which makes it so there is a wide variety of molecules that it can make. Carbon has the most potential to make large, complex and varied molecules. It can make proteins, DNA, carbohydrates and other molecules that distinguish living matter from inanimate material.
What are the properties of carbon that make organic molecules so diverse and complex?
Carbon has an exceptional ability to bind with a wide variety of other elements. Carbon makes four electrons available to form covalent chemical bonds, allowing carbon atoms to form multiple stable bonds with other small atoms, including hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen.
Why is the element carbon so versatile?
Carbon is a versatile element and is found in many different chemical compounds, including those found in space. Carbon is versatile because it can form single, double, and triple bonds. It can also form chains, branched chains, and rings when connected to other carbon atoms.
Why the compounds formed by carbon are exceptionally stable?
What makes carbon unique is its ability in forming covalent bonds which are very strong in nature. The small size of the carbon atom makes the compounds of Carbon exceptionally stable. Hence carbon as an element has the ability to form a variety of stable compounds, which can exist freely in nature.