the monomer of a protein is an amino acid right? Ok, well what is the general formula for an amino acid?
Would it be: H2NCH2COOH (the 2's would be subscripted).
Actually, I think it should be this: H2NCHRCOOH (the 2's would be subscripted), where R is the R group...is this right?
Yes, what you have is Glycine.
It's the simplest of the amino acids with the H as an R group.
If you want the general formula It would be R replacing the H.
oh ok, but can I write it this way: H2NCHRCOOH or does the R need to be in brackets.
I'd write it like this=> RCH(NH2)COOH
oh ok thanks!!!
Yes, you are correct! The monomer of a protein is indeed an amino acid. The general formula for an amino acid can be represented as H2NCH(R)COOH, where the "R" group denotes the side chain, which can vary between different amino acids.
To arrive at this general formula, we consider the basic structure of an amino acid. An amino acid consists of an amino group (NH2), a carboxyl group (COOH), and a central carbon atom (C). The central carbon atom is bonded to a hydrogen atom (H), an amino group (NH2), a carboxyl group (COOH), and the "R" group, which differentiates each amino acid.
So, H2NCH2COOH represents a specific amino acid, known as glycine, where the "R" group is simply a hydrogen atom. Keep in mind that this formula does not account for the side chains of other amino acids, as they can vary in structure and size.
Understanding the general formula allows us to differentiate between various amino acids and comprehend their role in protein structure and function.