* Chapter 4 Carbon and the Molecular Diversity of Life * Carbon Chemistry Carbon is the Backbone of Biological Molecules (macromolecules) All living organisms Are made up of chemicals based mostly on the element carbon Figure 4.1 * Carbon Chemistry Organic chemistry is the study of carbon compounds Carbon atoms can form diverse molecules by bonding to four other atoms Carbon compounds range from simple molecules to complex ones Carbon has four valence electrons and may form single, double, triple, or quadruple bonds * The bonding versatility of carbon allows it to form many diverse molecules, including carbon skeletons (a) Methane (b) Ethane (c) Ethene (ethylene) Molecular Formula Structural Formula Ball-and-Stick Model Space-Filling Model H H H H H H H H H H H H H H C C C C C