Which key difference between carbon and silicon makes carbon better suited to forming molecules for living things?(1 point)
1. Carbon has a greater atomic mass, allowing for stronger molecules.
2. Carbon has the right number of outer electrons to form a wide range of molecules.
3. Oxidized carbon is a gas at room temperature, rather than a solid.
4. Carbon is a naturally occurring element, so it is readily available.
2. Carbon has the right number of outer electrons to form a wide range of molecules.
The key difference between carbon and silicon that makes carbon better suited to forming molecules for living things is option 2: Carbon has the right number of outer electrons to form a wide range of molecules.
The key difference between carbon and silicon that makes carbon better suited to forming molecules for living things is option 2. Carbon has the right number of outer electrons to form a wide range of molecules.
To understand why this is the case, we need to take a closer look at the electronic structure of carbon and silicon. Both carbon and silicon belong to Group 14 in the periodic table, which means they have 4 valence electrons.
Carbon, however, is smaller in size compared to silicon. This smaller size allows carbon to more effectively form multiple covalent bonds with other atoms, including other carbon atoms. Carbon can form long chains and intricate three-dimensional structures. This property is known as carbon's versatility.
Silicon, on the other hand, is larger in size, which makes it less effective in forming multiple bonds. While silicon can form some complex molecules, it is typically less versatile than carbon.
In living systems, carbon is the main element used to build organic molecules such as proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids. The ability of carbon to form a wide range of covalent bonds allows for the immense diversity and complexity of organic molecules found in living organisms.
So, in summary, carbon's ability to form a wide variety of molecules due to its suitable electronic structure makes it better suited for building molecules for living things compared to silicon or other elements.