Amino Acid Zwitterion Structure and Chemistry Diagram

The diagram illustrates two common representations of an amino acid. On the left, you'll see the general structure showing the amine group (H2N) and the carboxylic acid group (COOH) attached to a central carbon, along with the variable R group. The right side presents the amino acid in its zwitterionic form, where the amine group is protonated (H3N+) and the carboxylic acid group is deprotonated (COO-), reflecting its behavior at physiological pH. This visual comparison highlights the key chemical transformation that occurs in these fundamental biological molecules.

amino acid - zwitterion - chemistry - molecular structure - biochemistry - organic chemistry - functional groups - protein building blocks