{"id":4725,"date":"2017-06-10T19:25:19","date_gmt":"2017-06-10T19:25:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/hccs-waymakerbiology1\/?post_type=chapter&p=4725"},"modified":"2017-08-01T18:27:55","modified_gmt":"2017-08-01T18:27:55","slug":"carbon-and-carbon-bonding","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/hccs-waymakerbiology1\/chapter\/carbon-and-carbon-bonding\/","title":{"raw":"Carbon and Carbon Bonding","rendered":"Carbon and Carbon Bonding"},"content":{"raw":"
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Learning Outcomes<\/h3>\r\nDiscuss why it is said that life is carbon-based and the bonding properties of carbon.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n

Carbon<\/h2>\r\n<\/section>
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\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_5181\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"236\"]\"Diagram Figure 1. Carbon can form four covalent bonds to create an organic molecule. The simplest carbon molecule is methane (CH4<\/sub>), depicted here.[\/caption]\r\n\r\n
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It is often said that life is \u201ccarbon-based.\u201d This means that carbon atoms, bonded to other carbon atoms or other elements, form the fundamental components of many, if not most, of the molecules found uniquely in living things. Other elements play important roles in biological molecules, but carbon certainly qualifies as the \u201cfoundation\u201d element for molecules in living things. It is the bonding properties of carbon atoms that are responsible for its important role.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/section>

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Carbon Bonding<\/h2>\r\n<\/section>Carbon contains four electrons in its outer shell. Therefore, it can form four covalent bonds with other atoms or molecules. The simplest organic carbon molecule is methane (CH4<\/sub>), in which four hydrogen atoms bind to a carbon atom (Figure 1).\r\n

However, structures that are more complex are made using carbon. Any of the hydrogen atoms can be replaced with another carbon atom covalently bonded to the first carbon atom. In this way, long and branching chains of carbon compounds can be made (Figure 2a<\/strong>). The carbon atoms may bond with atoms of other elements, such as nitrogen, oxygen, and phosphorus (Figure 2b<\/strong>). The molecules may also form rings, which themselves can link with other rings (Figure 2c<\/strong>). This diversity of molecular forms accounts for the diversity of functions of the biological macromolecules and is based to a large degree on the ability of carbon to form multiple bonds with itself and other atoms.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_5180\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"941\"]\"Examples Figure 2. These examples show three molecules (found in living organisms) that contain carbon atoms bonded in various ways to other carbon atoms and the atoms of other elements. (a) This molecule of stearic acid has a long chain of carbon atoms. (b) Glycine, a component of proteins, contains carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen atoms. (c) Glucose, a sugar, has a ring of carbon atoms and one oxygen atom.[\/caption]\r\n

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Learning Outcomes<\/h3>\n

Discuss why it is said that life is carbon-based and the bonding properties of carbon.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Carbon<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n
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\"Diagram<\/p>\n

Figure 1. Carbon can form four covalent bonds to create an organic molecule. The simplest carbon molecule is methane (CH4<\/sub>), depicted here.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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It is often said that life is \u201ccarbon-based.\u201d This means that carbon atoms, bonded to other carbon atoms or other elements, form the fundamental components of many, if not most, of the molecules found uniquely in living things. Other elements play important roles in biological molecules, but carbon certainly qualifies as the \u201cfoundation\u201d element for molecules in living things. It is the bonding properties of carbon atoms that are responsible for its important role.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n

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Carbon Bonding<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n

Carbon contains four electrons in its outer shell. Therefore, it can form four covalent bonds with other atoms or molecules. The simplest organic carbon molecule is methane (CH4<\/sub>), in which four hydrogen atoms bind to a carbon atom (Figure 1).<\/p>\n

However, structures that are more complex are made using carbon. Any of the hydrogen atoms can be replaced with another carbon atom covalently bonded to the first carbon atom. In this way, long and branching chains of carbon compounds can be made (Figure 2a<\/strong>). The carbon atoms may bond with atoms of other elements, such as nitrogen, oxygen, and phosphorus (Figure 2b<\/strong>). The molecules may also form rings, which themselves can link with other rings (Figure 2c<\/strong>). This diversity of molecular forms accounts for the diversity of functions of the biological macromolecules and is based to a large degree on the ability of carbon to form multiple bonds with itself and other atoms.<\/p>\n

\"Examples<\/p>\n

Figure 2. These examples show three molecules (found in living organisms) that contain carbon atoms bonded in various ways to other carbon atoms and the atoms of other elements. (a) This molecule of stearic acid has a long chain of carbon atoms. (b) Glycine, a component of proteins, contains carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen atoms. (c) Glucose, a sugar, has a ring of carbon atoms and one oxygen atom.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t
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