Carbon And The Molecular Diversity Of Life Flashcards
Carbon’s electrons
2 inner shell
4 second shell
Completes its valence (carbon) by
Sharing electrons with other atoms in four covalent bonds
Single and double
When a carbon atom forms covalent bonds with four other atoms, they are arranged - how?
At the corners of an imaginary tetrahedron with bond angles at 109.5°
When two carbon atoms are joined by a double bond, all bonds around those carbons are
In the same plane as the carbons
The number of unpaired electrons in the valence shell is generally
The number of covalent bonds it can form
The most frequent bonding partners of carbon are
Hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen
One carbon atoms forms two —-type of bond—- with two oxygen atoms
double bonds
Each atom forms — type of bond—- to complete its valence shell
Covalent bond
Energy giving function
Inorganic phosphate
Atp
Adenosine triphosphate
Important organic phosphate
Primary energy transfer molecule in living cells
Hydrocarbons
Are organic molecules consisting of only carbon and hydrogen
Hydrocarbons
Organic molecules consisting of only carbon and hydrogen
Fats are biological molecules that have…
Long hydrocarbon tails attached to a nonhydrocarbon component
Isomers
Compounds that have the same molecular formula but different structures and, therefore, different chemical properties
Structural isomers
Same molecular formula, but differ in the covalent arrangement of atoms
May also differ in the location of the double bonds
Cis-trans isomers
Have the same covalent partnerships but differ in spatial arrangement of atoms around a carbon-carbon double bond
Double bond doesn’t allow rotation around carbon axis
Cis isomer
The two matching atoms are on the same side
Trans isomer
The two matching atoms are on opposite sides
Enantiomers
Isomers that are mirror images of each other
Possible when 4 diff atoms or groups of atoms are bonded to an asymmetric carbon
Usually one is biologically active and one is inactive
Distinctive properties of an organic molecule depend on
The arrangement of it’s carbon skeleton and the chemical groups attached to that skeleton
Functional groups
The components of organic molecules that are directly involved in chemical reactions
Seven function groups that are most important in the chemistry of life
Hydroxyl group
Carbonyl group
Carbonyl group
Amino group
Sulfhydryl group (hydrophobic)
Phosphate group
Methyl group (non-reactive)
Non-reactive group
Methyl
- often serves as a recognizable tag or biological molecules
Hydrophobic group
Sulfhydryl
