Ch 3 Biochemistry 3-1 Carbon Compounds Flashcards
Carbon
Most of the molecules that make up living organisms are based on the element carbon and are collectively called organic compounds.
Inorganic compounds
Compounds that usually don’t contain any carbon. Water (H20) is a common inorganic molecule found in living organisms.
How many covalent bonds with other atoms including other carbon atoms can an carbon atom make?
Carbon atoms contain four valence electrons and therefore can form four covalent bonds with other atoms and other carbon atoms.
Electron pairs and carbon molecules
When a carbon molecule and another atom share one electron pair it forms a single bond, two electron pairs form a double bond and three electron pairs form a triple bond.
What makes carbon the most important element to living things?
It’s ability to form four covalent bonds in a countless variety of single, double, and triple bonds.
Functional Groups
Groups of atoms that influence the properties and chemical reactions of the molecule to which they are attached.
Hydroxyl Group
(-OH) gives a molecule polar properties and makes it soluble in water
Amino Group
(NH2) group is always found in amino acids which are the building blocks of proteins
Carboxyl Group
(CO2H) found in the building blocks of proteins and lipids
Macromolecules
Large carbon molecules built from smaller, simpler, molecules called monomers in a condensation reaction.
Examples of monomers combining into a macromolecule
The monomer glucose and the monomer flucose join together to form the dimer sucrose.
Monomers of glucose joining together to form the macromolecule starch
Condensation reaction
a chemical reaction in which two or more molecules combine to produce water or another simple molecule.
Hydrolysis reaction
A chemical reaction where water is used to split polymers into monomers
