Carbon Skeletons: Structure and Properties
What are carbon skeletons and how do they vary in structure?
Choose the correct statement about carbon skeletons:
- Carbon skeletons are usually short.
- Carbon skeletons can be straight or in the shape of a ring.
- Carbon skeletons are always straight.
- Carbon skeletons are held together by single C-C bonds.
- Carbon skeletons are always unbranched.
Answer:
The correct statement about carbon skeletons is that they can be straight or in the form of a ring.
Carbon skeletons are the basic structures that form the backbone of organic molecules. They are composed of a series of carbon atoms bonded together, giving these molecules their unique properties.
Carbon skeletons can vary in length, shape, and branching. They can be short or long, straight or in the shape of a ring, and can have branches or be unbranched. The bonds between carbon atoms in a carbon skeleton can be single, double, or triple bonds, adding to the diversity of structures that can be formed.
The versatility of carbon skeletons plays a crucial role in the diversity of organic compounds found in nature. For example, glucose and fructose have different carbon skeleton structures, leading to their distinct properties despite having the same chemical formula.