The Amide Structure Is the Fundamental Linking Unit in Proteins

question 61

Essay

The amide structure is the fundamental linking unit in proteins. Two partial Lewis structures for formamide are shown below. These structures do not show the lone-pair electrons or the formal charges. Experiment shows that formamide is planar, so which is the better representation of the electronic structure, I or II? Is this conclusion consistent with the formal charges on the atoms? Explain the rationale for your answers.

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Definitions:

Specified Characteristic

A distinct property or attribute that has been identified or stipulated for observation or study.

Pie Chart

A round statistical diagram segmented into sections to represent numerical proportions.

Qualitative Variable

A variable that categorizes or describes attribute of a data set rather than expressing a numerical value.

Frequency Distribution

A frequency distribution shows how often each different value in a set of data occurs.