1.2 Elements Of Life

Question 1

What is organic chemistry?

Answer 1

• The study of compounds with covalently bonded carbon

Question 2

What are organic compounds?

Answer 2

• compounds that contain carbon and hydrogen

Question 3

Why is carbon such a unique atom? (4)

Answer 3

• it can form single, double, or triple covalent bonds
• it can form up to four covalent bonds
• it can form long chains
• mostly commonly formed with H, O, N

Question 4

What do the type and number of covalent bonds that carbon forms with other atoms affect? (2)

Answer 4

• length of carbon chain

- shape of the molecule

Question 5

How can carbons be linked into a chain?

Answer 5

• carbon uses its valence electrons to form covalent bonds to other carbons

Question 6

What are hydrocarbons? (2)

Answer 6

• organic molecules consisting only of carbon and hydrogen

- think of it as a simple framework for more complex molecules

Question 7

Carbon chains form the skeletons of most organic molecules. How can skeletons vary in? (6)

Answer 7

• length
• branching
• double bond position
• presence of rings
• many regions of a cells organic molecules contain hydrocarbons
• functional groups?

Question 8

What are functional groups? (2)

Answer 8

Chemical groups attached to the carbon skeleton that participated in chemical reactions

Question 9

Name the 7 functional groups you must memorize. DONT FORGET TO KNOW THE STRUCTURE!

Answer 9

1. Hydroxyl (-OH)
2. Carbonyl (C=O)
3. Carboxyl (COOH)
4. Amino (NH2)
5. Sulfhydryl (-SH)
6. Methyl (CH3)
7. Phosphate (OPO3^2-)