Questions: In addition to carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, all amino acids contain this element:
a) nitrogen (N)
b) phosphorus (P)
c) sulfur (S)
d) sodium (Na)
Transcript text: In addition to carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, all amino acids contain this element:
$\qquad$
a) nitrogen ( $N$ )
b) phosphorus (P)
c) sulfur (S)
d) sodium $(\mathrm{Na})$
Solution
Solution Steps
Step 1: Identify the Common Elements in Amino Acids
Amino acids are organic compounds that serve as the building blocks of proteins.
They are composed of carbon (C), hydrogen (H), oxygen (O), and an additional element.
Step 2: Determine the Additional Element
The defining feature of amino acids is the presence of an amino group (\(-\text{NH}_2\)).
This amino group contains nitrogen (\(N\)).
Step 3: Select the Correct Option
Based on the presence of the amino group, the additional element in all amino acids is nitrogen (\(N\)).
Therefore, the correct answer is option a) nitrogen (\(N\)).