[Bassel]

 the alpha carbon the carbon attached to a carbonyl group. in the picture i got from wikipedia(in attachement) why is the carbon on the left only the alpha carbon and on the right the carbon is not an alpha, even though both are the same distance from the carbonyl group.

[Borek]

If memory serves me well terminal carbons don't count. Alpha carbon must be followed by other carbons to count as "alpha".

[Dan]

I think both can be referred to as alpha.

So e.g. "alpha-bromopropanone" is ambiguous.