Chapter 3, Problem 114QP

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

From the pictorial representation, which hydrogen atom(white ball) in a glycine molecule is responsible for its acidic character, is to be identified.

Concept Introduction:

The red ball that is shown in the given figure corresponds to the oxygen atoms, white ball corresponds to the hydrogen atoms, black ball corresponds to the carbon atoms, and blue ball corresponds to one nitrogen atom.

From the figure, the given molecule is identified as a glycine molecule that has the chemical formula ${\text{NH}}_2-{\text{CH}}_{\text{2}}-\text{COOH}$ in which central carbon atom(black ball) is attached to two hydrogen atoms, the amine group and the carboxylic group by a single bond. Thus, glycine acid contains amine and a carboxyl group.