AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -The carbon atom has unique properties that allow it to form covalent bonds to as many as four different atoms, making this versatile element ideal to serve as the basic structural component, or “backbone, ” of the macromolecules.

Detailed explanation-2: -Life on earth would not be possible without carbon. This is in part due to carbon’s ability to readily form bonds with other atoms, giving flexibility to the form and function that biomolecules can take, such as DNA and RNA, which are essential for the defining characteristics of life: growth and replication.

Detailed explanation-3: -Carbon has a unique property of linking with other carbon atoms to form long chains through sharing of electrons (covalent bond). Carbon forms the longest chains using catenation. Other elements like sulphur, silicon and boron also exhibits this property.

Detailed explanation-4: -A carbon atom can bond with four other atoms and is like the four-hole wheel, while an oxygen atom, which can bond only to two, is like the two-hole wheel. Carbon’s ability to form bonds with four other atoms goes back to its number and configuration of electrons.