Question

can someone please explain the structural form of carbohydrates and why it is the way it is?

Answer 1

like why can carbon form 4 covalent bonds? i dont really get that. please help :(

Answer 2

are u almost done? sorry im in a rush :( it doesnt have to be too detailed

Answer 3

can u post what you ahve please

Answer 4

Here is some basic information of carbohydrates:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbohydrate

I have not properly read up on any biochemistry or organic chemistry, so I can not give an in depth explanation. But this is what I can say. From wikipedia, "a carbohydrate is an organic compound with the empirical formula:
\[C_m(H2O)_n\quad\bigg|\quad\text{m not necessarily equal to m}\]Carbon can and general does form four bonds. This is because it has four valence shell electrons, and it is small enough to form π bonds in addition to σ bonds. Because carbon can form so many bonds, it can and does form very complex structures.

Answer 5

does a covalent bond meen 2 electrons?

Answer 6

does a covalent bond meen 2 electrons?

Answer 7

The wikipedia quote lasts until just after the formula. Everything after that is my reply. Should say, "Carbon can and in general does...".

Answer 8

An ionic bond is where the more electronegative atom steals an electron from the less electronegative atom. A covalent bond is where they share the electrons. A polar covalent bond is where they share the electrons, but the more electronegative atom has them more often than the less electronegative atom.

Answer 9

also, sorry fr askins go many questions but a covalent bond menas 4 electrons right?

Answer 10

Covalent bonds always involve a pair of electrons.

A single covalent bond is always a direct σ bond. Double and triple bonds have a π bond or two in addition to the σ bond. The types of bonds formed determine the geometry of the molecule.

Answer 11

i didnt learn about the geometry of the molecule yet, just the basics. but a single covalent bond = 2 electrons because there needs to be 8 electrons for stability right

Answer 12

No, a single covalent bond means 2 electrons shared between atoms. You can imagine each atom contributing one electron to the bond, but there are times where one atom contributes both electrons (and they are shared after that). σ bonds are always between two atoms. π bonds are more complex.

Answer 13

Atoms from perioid two and below strive for octet stability. By sharing atoms in bonds, both electrons can count toward the octet stability in both atoms. A double bond consists of 2*2=4 electrons being shared. A triple bond consists of 3*2=6 electrons being shared.

Answer 14

As far as I know, a triple bond is the most bonds you can have between two atoms. The structure of acetylene is H-C≡C-H. Each hydrogen shares an atom with carbon and achieves duet stability (period 1 elements are a little different). The carbons have four bonds total, one with hydrogen (+1 electron) and three with the other carbon (+3 electrons) for a total of 8 electrons.

Answer 15

Is this making sense?

Answer 16

yup thank you somuch! i was a little rusty on this stuff. do you know if there is a lot of chemistry on the SAT II bio?

Answer 17

Sorry, no clue on that one. I'm working through the MIT OCW Introduction to Solid State Chemistry course:
http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/materials-science-and-engineering/3-091sc-introduction-to-solid-state-chemistry-fall-2010/index.htm

Answer 18

ok thank you bye! you are truly a life saver!

Answer 19

Very welcome. (Don't forget to mark it as a good answer if worked for you. =)

Answer 20

how do i do that?

Answer 21

You figured it out. =)

Answer 22

if you didnt know formula on it and came out with CH2O how they cam out with carbohydrates is they took the substance way back when they burned it captured the air, weighed it and did an empirical of CH2O and it was actually called carbonhydrate and then BIOLOGIST dropped the N and it became carbohydrates.