AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -This means that all organic compounds have in common the presence of carbon atoms and hydrogen atoms. In addition, different organic compounds may contain oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorous, and other elements.

Detailed explanation-2: -All organic compounds, such as proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, contain carbon, and all plant and animal cells consist of carbon compounds and their polymers.

Detailed explanation-3: -Although all organic compounds contain carbon, and almost all have hydrogen, most of them contain other elements as well. The most common other elements in organic compounds are oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, and the halogens.

Detailed explanation-4: -The reason is carbon’s ability to form stable bonds with many elements, including itself. This property allows carbon to form a huge variety of very large and complex molecules. In fact, there are nearly 10 million carbon-based compounds in living things!