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Chapter 4
Carbon and the Molecular Diversity of Life
Key Concepts or Important Topics:
•Carbon atoms can form diverse molecules by
bonding to four other atoms
•Isomers and their importance
•Valences of major molecules
•Function groups- molecular formula and
compounds they are found in
•Organic chemistry is the study of compounds that
contain carbon, regardless of origin
• Organic compounds contain carbon and can range
from simple molecules to colossal ones
CONCEPT 4.1: Organic chemistry is key to the origin of
life
Figure 4.2
Can organic molecules form under conditions estimated to
simulate those on the early Earth?
• Stanley Miller’s classic experiment
demonstrated the abiotic synthesis
of organic compounds
• Experiments support the idea that
abiotic synthesis of organic
compounds, perhaps near volcanoes,
could have been a stage in the origin
of life
Organic molecules and the Origin of Life
on Earth
• Belief that organic molecules arise only
within living organisms was disproved
when chemists synthesized these
compounds
• Stanley Miller’s classic experiment
demonstrated the abiotic synthesis of
organic compounds
• Carbon has four valence electrons so it can
form 4 covalent bonds with a variety of atoms.
• Forms large and diverse molecules
• Carbon chains form carbon skeleton of organic
molecules
CONCEPT 4.2: Carbon atoms can form diverse
molecules by bonding to four other atoms
Figure 4.3
The shapes of three simple organic molecules
