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On Earth, life is said to be Carbon based because the majority of macromolecules are supported by a carbon backbone. Take for example a saturated fatty acid which consists of hydrogen atoms bonded onto an infinitely long series of carbon atoms which are arranged in a more or less straight line. These atoms make up the carbon backbone, it can be linear (such as the ones found in fatty acid), they can from a ring (as in most monosaccharides) or have an irregular shape.

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Which element forms the backbone of all organic molecules?

Carbon. Organic molecules are usually made up of carbon chains or rings, with hydrogen atoms bonded to most bond sites. The molecules are distinguished by the length of the chain, the number of double or triple carbon-carbon bonds, and the other elements or ligands that might be bonded to the carbon chain or ring.


Does the functional group react differently depending on the carbon backbone?

A functional group may react differently, but does not always do so. One of the well known examples is a hydroxyl group, which ionizes sufficiently to act as a weak acid when the hydroxyl group is bonded directly to a carbon atom that is part of an aromatic ring, but not when the hydroxyl group is attached to a carbon that is part of an aliphatic chain.


Carbon found by?

Carbon is found in various forms in nature, from the organic compounds in living organisms to the carbon dioxide gas in the atmosphere, and as fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas. It is a crucial element for life on Earth, serving as the backbone for all organic molecules.


Most carbon compounds are formed by sharing electrons with carbon?

Yes, carbon has four valence electrons, allowing it to form strong covalent bonds by sharing electrons with other elements, including other carbon atoms. This versatility and bonding ability make carbon the backbone of organic chemistry, leading to the formation of a wide variety of carbon compounds.


Why is carbon the backbone of organic compounds?

The definition of organic compounds says that it must contain carbon molecules. There is no organic compound without carbon. So, carbon is called the backbone of organic compounds.Carbon has four electrons available for bonding, and in order to become stable, it must form four covalent bonds. Therefore, it has the ability to form chains. Carbon can have multiple hybridizations and bonding options.

Related Questions

What is the backbone of life?

The answer is carbon!


What are common carbon backbone structures?

The three kinds of carbon backbones are straight chain,branched chain,and the ring.


What type of atom forms the central backbone of the glucose molecule?

carbon atoms forms the backbone of glucose molecule


How does the backbone sugar differ between DNA and RNA?

The backbone sugar of RNA is ribose, which is a five carbon carbohydrate. When the oxygen atom from carbon number 2 is lost, it gives deoxy ribose, which is the backbone sugar for DNA.


What is an unsatured fat?

A fat molecule is made of a chain of carbon atoms making a "backbone" and a bunch of hydrogens along the outside. In a saturated fat, the carbon backbone has the maximum number of hydrogens it can accept. In an unsaturated fat, the carbon backbone has made one or more double bonds within the backbone and so have less than the maximum number of hydrogens around the outside.


What atom forms the backbone of most biological molecules?

Carbon


The backbone of carbon in a carbohydrate comes from?

The backbone of carbon in a carbohydrate comes from simple sugar molecules like glucose. These sugar molecules link together in chains to form the structure of a carbohydrate.


Element whose atoms form the backbone of organic molecules?

carbon


Are amino acids attached to a glycerol backbone?

A 3 carbon chain .


What atom makes up the backbone of biological macro molecules?

Carbon


Is the backbone of nucleic acid structure is 3'-5' phosphodiester bridge?

No, the backbone of nucleic acids is formed by a series of phosphodiester linkages between the 3' carbon of one nucleotide and the 5' carbon of the next nucleotide. This forms a sugar-phosphate backbone that provides stability to the molecule.


What is an apocarotenoid?

An apocarotenoid is a compound formed by the removal of fragments of the carbon backbone of a carotenoid.