Question

There are 20 different amino acids. what makes one amino acid different from another? different asymmetric carbons

Answer 1

The 20 different amino acids found in proteins differ from each other based on their asymmetric carbons. The side chain or the R-group, which is attached to the central carbon, varies in size and can be polar or nonpolar, giving each amino acid its unique characteristics.

Step-by-step explanation:

The 20 different amino acids found in proteins differ from each other based on their asymmetric carbons. Except for the amino acid glycine, which has two hydrogen atoms attached to its central carbon, the other 19 amino acids have four different groups attached to their central carbon, making them chiral or optically active. The side chain or the R-group, which is attached to the central carbon, varies in size and can be polar or nonpolar, giving each amino acid its unique characteristics.

Answer 2

Amino acids are molecules that have a carboxylic acid group and an amine, attached to a specific carbon atom known as the α carbon. There are 20 amino acids, and they are different from each other, in the sense that each has a different side chain, known as the R-group and this R-group is attached to the α carbon.