BSC 114 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Solvent, Alpha And Beta Carbon, Cholesterol

• School: University of Alabama
• Department: Biological Sciences
• Course: BSC 114
• Professor: Edwin Stephenson

Document Summary

Living organisms are made up of chemicals based mostly on the element carbon. Carbon is unparalleled in its ability to form molecules that are large, complex and varied, making possible the diversity of organisms that have evolved on earth. Proteins, dna, carbohydrates are made up of carbon. Hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur and phosphorous are other common ingredients of these compounds. Carbon has 6 electrons with 2 in the first electron shell and 4 in the second shell. A carbon atom completes its valence shell by sharing its 4 electrons with other atoms so that 8 electrons are present. Each pair of shared electrons completes a covalent bond. Carbon usually forms a single or double bond. Hydrocarbons- organic molecules consisting of only carbon and hydrogens. Atoms of hydrogens are attached to the carbon skeleton wherever electrons are available for covalent bonding. Hydrocarbons are the major components of petroleum.