What is the structure of an amino acid?

Answer 1

Amino acid is consist of an amino group, attached to a carbon with a hydrogen bonded to it.

The same alfa carbon is attached to a carboxylic acid and R(alkyl group)

The general formula is as follows

NH2-CHR-COO

Answer 2

Amino AcidsAn amino acid contains a central carbon bonded to a carboxyl group, an amino group, an r-group, and a hydrogen. The r-group is what varies between the 20 amino acids and gives them unique characteristics. The covalent bonds between amino acids are called peptide bonds. It is a bond between the carboxyl group of one amino acid and the amino group of another amino acid. Amino acids are bonded through condensation reactions, which produces a water molecule.

The basic structure of an amino acid is a carbon chain with an amino group (NH2) at one end, and a carboxyl group (-COOH) at the other. The differences between amino acids lies in the carbon chain in the middle; it can be as simple as one carbon or as complex as many carbon atoms with branches and forks. Side groups can be added, such as sulphur.

See related links and questions below for more information.

Answer 3

The main identifying factor is The Peptide Bond.

In this Bond the -C-C-C-C- chain is interrupted by Nitrogen as in -C-C-N-C-C-N-C-C-N-C.

All amino acids have the same 3 components: from the C-terminal end, there is an acid group (-COOH) that is bonded to the next C in the chain that is bonded to one H and one -R group [that will determine the kind of amino acid], that is followed by a NH2- that conjoins with the acid of the NEXT AMINO ACID.

The basic structure looks something like this:

H H O

N C C OH

H R

You may also see it like this

H H O

H N C C

H R O

This is just showing the protonated version.

Answer 4

Amino acids are organic compounds made of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and (in some cases) sulfurbonded in characteristic formations. Strings of amino acids make up proteins, of which there are countless varieties. Of the 20 amino acids required for manufacturing the proteins the human body needs, the body itself produces only 12, meaning that we have to meet our requirements for the other eight through nutrition. This is just one example of the importance of amino acids in the functioning of life. Another cautionary illustration of amino acids' power is the gamut of diseases (most notably, sickle-cell-anemia) that impair or claim the lives of those whose amino acids are out of sequence or malfunction. Once used in dating objects from the distant past, amino acids have existed on Earth for at least three billionyears-long before the appearance of the first true organisms.

- Tommy Elmasian

Answer 5

Amino acids have structure R-CH(-COOH)-NH2