Carbon skeleton
Carbon Skeleton
The Carbon Skeleton (pronunciation: /ˈkɑːrbən ˈskɛlɪtən/) is a term used in Biochemistry and Organic Chemistry to describe the chain of carbon atoms that forms the backbone of an organic molecule.
Etymology
The term "Carbon Skeleton" is derived from the Latin word "carbo" meaning "charcoal" and the Greek word "skeletos" meaning "dried up". It refers to the structure of carbon atoms that forms the core of a molecule, much like a skeleton forms the core structure of a living organism.
Definition
In Biochemistry, a Carbon Skeleton is the chain of carbon atoms in an organic molecule, excluding the hydrogen atoms attached to the carbon atoms. It is the framework upon which the rest of the molecule is built. The Carbon Skeleton can be straight, branched, or arranged in rings, and it can contain double bonds, triple bonds, or no multiple bonds at all.
Related Terms
- Hydrocarbon: A compound consisting entirely of carbon and hydrogen atoms.
- Alkane: A hydrocarbon in which there are only single bonds between the carbon atoms in the carbon skeleton.
- Alkene: A hydrocarbon in which there is at least one double bond between the carbon atoms in the carbon skeleton.
- Alkyne: A hydrocarbon in which there is at least one triple bond between the carbon atoms in the carbon skeleton.
- Aromatic Compound: A compound that contains a ring of carbon atoms in its carbon skeleton.
- Functional Group: A group of atoms that determines the properties of an organic compound.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Carbon skeleton
- Wikipedia's article - Carbon skeleton
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski