Functional groups
1. are the repeating unit of polymers.
2. are groups of atoms whose chemical prop-
erties are pretty much independent of their
chemical environment.
3. perform specific biological functions using
molecular recognition.
4. are a fictitious concept like oxidation
numbers (useful but not real).
I believe it's 3 but I'm not sure. Can anybody give an answer and explanation? Thanks!
Nuts to 3. Functional groups do not perform specific biological functions, nor are they in polymers.
Should it be 4 then?
And it CERTAINLY is not 4.
Its 2. I had this question on a quiz
You are correct! Functional groups are indeed involved in performing specific biological functions using molecular recognition. Let me explain how to arrive at this answer while also discussing the other options.
Functional groups are specific arrangements of atoms within a molecule that exhibit characteristic chemical properties and reactions. They are responsible for the major chemical and physical properties of organic compounds. Now, let's evaluate each option:
1. Functional groups are not the repeating unit of polymers. The repeating unit of a polymer is monomers, which are linked together to form a long chain.
2. This statement is somewhat correct. While functional groups do exhibit characteristic chemical properties, they can still be influenced by their chemical environment to some extent. For example, the reactivity of a functional group can be affected by neighboring groups or the presence of other atoms or groups nearby.
3. This is the correct answer! Functional groups are involved in molecular recognition, which is a process where a molecule (e.g., a receptor) specifically recognizes and binds to another molecule (e.g., a ligand) due to the specific interactions between their functional groups. This is crucial for various biological functions, such as enzyme-substrate interactions or protein-ligand binding.
4. Functional groups are not fictitious; they are very real and have well-defined chemical and physical properties. They are widely used in organic chemistry to classify and understand the behavior of different molecules.
Therefore, the correct answer is 3, as functional groups perform specific biological functions using molecular recognition.