Amino acids are exactly what they say they are! They are compounds containing an amino group, -NH2, and a carboxylic acid group, -COOH. Examples: 2-aminoethanoic acid, usually called glycine (NH2-CH2-COOH), and 2-aminopropanoic acid is usually known as alanine (CH3 - CH - COOH ) \' NH2 The general formula for a 2-amino acid is: R - CH - COOH \' NH2 where \"R\" can be quite a complicated group containing other active groups like -OH, -SH, other amine or carboxylic acid groups, and so on. It is definitely NOT necessarily a simple hydrocarbon group! All the naturally occurring amino acids have the right-hand structure in this diagram. This is known as the \"L-\" configuration. The other one is known as the \"D-\" configuration. D & L amino acids are both optical isomers of each other; i.e. they\'re compounds with the same molecular formula but different spatial arrangements. Every optically active compound has a D- and an L- isomer. They ONLY difference is their ability to rotate plane polarized light in opposite directions. Solution Amino acids are exactly what they say they are! They are compounds containing an amino group, -NH2, and a carboxylic acid group, -COOH. Examples: 2-aminoethanoic acid, usually called glycine (NH2-CH2-COOH), and 2-aminopropanoic acid is usually known as alanine (CH3 - CH - COOH ) \' NH2 The general formula for a 2-amino acid is: R - CH - COOH \' NH2 where \"R\" can be quite a complicated group containing other active groups like -OH, -SH, other amine or carboxylic acid groups, and so on. It is definitely NOT necessarily a simple hydrocarbon group! All the naturally occurring amino acids have the right-hand structure in this diagram. This is known as the \"L-\" configuration. The other one is known as the \"D-\" configuration. D & L amino acids are both optical isomers of each other; i.e. they\'re compounds with the same molecular formula but different spatial arrangements. Every optically active compound has a D- and an L- isomer. They ONLY difference is their ability to rotate plane polarized light in opposite directions..

1. Amino acids are exactly what they say they are! They are compounds containing an
amino group, -NH2, and a carboxylic acid group, -COOH. Examples: 2-aminoethanoic acid,
usually called glycine (NH2-CH2-COOH), and 2-aminopropanoic acid is usually known as
alanine (CH3 - CH - COOH ) ' NH2 The general formula for a 2-amino acid is: R - CH -
COOH ' NH2 where "R" can be quite a complicated group containing other active groups like
-OH, -SH, other amine or carboxylic acid groups, and so on. It is definitely NOT necessarily a
simple hydrocarbon group! All the naturally occurring amino acids have the right-hand structure
in this diagram. This is known as the "L-" configuration. The other one is known as the "D-"
configuration. D & L amino acids are both optical isomers of each other; i.e. they're compounds
with the same molecular formula but different spatial arrangements. Every optically active
compound has a D- and an L- isomer. They ONLY difference is their ability to rotate plane
polarized light in opposite directions.
Solution
Amino acids are exactly what they say they are! They are compounds containing an
amino group, -NH2, and a carboxylic acid group, -COOH. Examples: 2-aminoethanoic acid,
usually called glycine (NH2-CH2-COOH), and 2-aminopropanoic acid is usually known as
alanine (CH3 - CH - COOH ) ' NH2 The general formula for a 2-amino acid is: R - CH -
COOH ' NH2 where "R" can be quite a complicated group containing other active groups like
-OH, -SH, other amine or carboxylic acid groups, and so on. It is definitely NOT necessarily a
simple hydrocarbon group! All the naturally occurring amino acids have the right-hand structure
in this diagram. This is known as the "L-" configuration. The other one is known as the "D-"
configuration. D & L amino acids are both optical isomers of each other; i.e. they're compounds
with the same molecular formula but different spatial arrangements. Every optically active
compound has a D- and an L- isomer. They ONLY difference is their ability to rotate plane
polarized light in opposite directions.