Ch 4 Molecules of Life Flashcards
Hydroxyl
Polar, changes the molecule to a polar molecule
Carboxyl
Acts as an acid (1/3 of the structure of protein)
Amino
Acts as a base (1/3 of the structure of protein)
Phosphate
Has a negative charge, makes up 1/3 of the structure of DNA (this means DNA is negative)
Methyl
affects gene expression (can turn them off), added to cholesterol to form sex hormones (testosterone)
Describe in detail how large molecules are built
- The reaction that connects a monomer to another monomer or a polymer is a condensation reaction, a reaction in which two molecules are covalently bonded to each other with the loss of a small molecule.
- If a water molecule is lost, it is known as a dehydration reaction.
- this reaction is repeated as monomers are added to the chain one by one, lengthening the polymer.
Describe in detail how large molecules are broken down
- If a water molecule is gained, it is known as hydrolysis
- The bond between monomers is broken down by the addition of a water molecule
What is dehydration synthesis?
If a water molecule is lost, it is known as a dehydration reaction/synthesis (builds polymers).
What is hydrolysis?
If a water molecule is gained, it is known as hydrolysis (breaks down polymers)
hydrocarbons
organic molecules consisting of only carbon and hydrogen
can undergo reactions that release
a relatively large amount of energy.
isomer
compounds that have the same numbers of atoms of the same elements but different structures and hence different properties (iso-same, mer-part)
Structural isomers
type of isomer, difference is in the covalent arrangements of their atoms
cis-trans isomers
carbons have covalent bonds to the same atoms, but these atoms differ in their spatial arrangements due to the inflexibility of double bonds (double carbon bond in center
