High School Biology/Organic Compounds

Organic Compounds

Structure of an Unsaturated Triglyceride

The molecules found in life are uniquely complex in structure and function. The element carbon presents qualities that allow for the synthesis of such molecules. Due to this element's significance in biological compounds, molecules containing carbon, and typically Hydrogen, are known as "organic compounds". The study of organic compounds, organic chemistry, is a vast field, with many of the things we use everyday falling within its bounds.

Why Carbon?

Bohr Model representation of the covalent bonds of methane (CH4)

A carbon atom's nucleus is made up of four (neutrally charged) neutrons, and four (positively charged) protons, comprising a net charge of +4. Due to this, carbon, and other elements in its group retain four valence electrons, and therefore can share those electrons with other elements to form four covalent bonds. A total of four covalent bonds allows carbon to form more stable complex molecules than other elements due to them resulting in a "full" valence shell of eight electrons.

This, along with the prevalence of carbon on Earth, allows for the synthesis of complex macromolecules and life.