Why is carbon considered the functional element for biomolecules and life on earth?
1 Answer
Jul 3, 2014
Carbon is the functional element for living things because it's able to bond in many different ways. It can form many compounds that are essential to life.
It can have sp³, sp², or sp hybridization in its compounds. This means that it can form bonds in all three dimensions and make molecules with complicated shapes.
Carbon is the only element that can form long chains that don't break apart at higher temperatures.
Carbon is the primary component of biomolecules. Important ones are proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates.
All living things contain carbon.
