Question 1

Which property of carbon most directly contributes to the molecular diversity of life?

Accepted Answer

Its ability to form four covalent bonds with a variety of atoms

Question 2

Stanley Miller’s experiment was significant because it demonstrated which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Abiotic synthesis of organic compounds is possible under early Earth conditions

Question 3

Which of the following best describes a structural isomer?

Accepted Answer

Compounds with the same molecular formula but different covalent arrangements of their atoms

Question 4

A pharmaceutical company discovers that only one enantiomer of a drug is biologically active. What is the most likely explanation for this observation?

Accepted Answer

Organisms are sensitive to subtle variations in molecular structure

Question 5

Which functional group is most likely to act as an acid in biological systems?

Accepted Answer

Carboxyl group

Question 6

What is the general formula for a hydrocarbon alkane with $$n$$ carbon atoms?

Accepted Answer

$$C_nH_{2n+2}$$

Question 7

Which of the following statements about ATP is correct?

Accepted Answer

ATP stores potential energy that is released when it reacts with water

Question 8

Which of the following is NOT a common bonding partner of carbon in organic molecules?

Accepted Answer

Calcium

Question 9

A molecule with the formula $$C_5H_{10}$$ could be which type of hydrocarbon?

Accepted Answer

Alkene

Question 10

Which functional group is present in all amino acids and is responsible for their basic properties?

Accepted Answer

Amino group

Question 11

Which of the following best explains why carbon chains can form the skeletons of most organic molecules?

Accepted Answer

Carbon can form stable covalent bonds with itself and other elements

Question 12

Which type of isomerism is illustrated when two molecules have the same covalent bonds but differ in their spatial arrangement around a double bond?

Accepted Answer

Cis-trans (geometric) isomerism

Question 13

Which of the following chemical groups is NOT considered a functional group important in the chemistry of life?

Accepted Answer

Ethyl group

Question 14

If a carbon atom forms a double bond with another carbon atom, what is the resulting geometry of the atoms bonded to these carbons?

Accepted Answer

Planar

Question 15

Which of the following best describes the role of hydrocarbons in biological molecules such as fats?

Accepted Answer

They store energy that can be released during metabolic reactions

Question 16

Which of the following molecules contains both a carboxyl group and an amino group?

Accepted Answer

Amino acid

Question 17

What is the main reason that only one enantiomer of a drug may be biologically active?

Accepted Answer

Biological molecules are chiral and interact differently with each enantiomer

Question 18

Which chemical group is found in ATP and is responsible for its energy-storing properties?

Accepted Answer

Phosphate group

Question 19

Which of the following statements about the major elements of life is correct?

Accepted Answer

The percentages of C, H, O, N, S, and P are quite uniform from one organism to another

Question 20

Which of the following best explains why the diversity of organisms on Earth is so great?

Accepted Answer

The versatility of carbon allows for an inexhaustible variety of organic molecules

Carbon and the Molecular Diversity of Life: Study Notes

Study Guide - Practice Questions

Study Guide - Flashcards