THE UNIQUE PROPERTIES OF CARBON

       Amino acids, simple sugar molecules and even fats may be relatively simple molecules but the construction of complex molecules, such as long-chain carbohydrates and proteins, shows the versatility of carbon-containing compounds. The peak of this complexity must be DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), the molecule that makes life possible.
       Carbon is unique in the variety of molecules it can form. The chemistry of the molecules is a separate branch of the subject known as organic chemistry. Organic chemistry is the chemistry of carbon-containing compounds.
       
There are three special features of covalent bonding involving carbon:
  • Carbon atoms can join to each other to form long chains. Atoms of other elements can then attach to the chain.
  • The carbon atoms in a chain can be linked by single, double or triple covalent bonds.
  • Carbon atoms can also arrange themselves in rings.
        IAQUK Basic Organic Chemistry       
       
        Only carbon can achieve all these different bonding arrangements to the extent that we see. Indeed, there are more compounds of carbon than of all other elements put together. The figure gives some idea of how these bonding arrangements can produce different types of molecules.

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