Hydrocarbons, Functional Groups, Condesation Reactions, and Hydrolysis Reactions Flashcards
Describe Carbon.
All life on earth is carbon based, can form 4 covalent bonds, can form straight chains, branched chains, ringed molecules.
What are the four biologically important macromolecules?
carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids.
What are hydrocarbons?
molecules containing only carbon and hydrogen, non-polar, found in carbs, lipids, proteins, and nuceic acids. Can be saturated (no DBs - “alkanes”) or unsaturated (DBs - “alkenes” or TBs “alkynes”)
Explain the difference between saturated and unsaturated.
saturated - bonded to as many carbons as possible.
unsaturated - has DBs or TBs therefore not bonded to every possible carbon.
What are functional groups?
clusters of atoms that are associated with hydrocarbon chains and they have specific properties, affects the function of a molecule by participating in chemical reactions.
Describe Hydroxyls.
OH - polar, found in carbs, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids.
Describe Carboxyls.
Double bonded O and OH - polar, found in lipids and proteins.
Describe Aminos.
NH2 - polar, found in proteins and nucleic acids.
Describe Carbonyls.
Double bonded O - polar, found in carbs, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids. aldehyde - on a terminal carbon (middle of chain). keytone - not on a terminal carbon (end of chain).
Describe Sulfhydryls.
SH - slightly polar, found in proteins (amino acids).
Describe Phosphates.
PO4 - polar, found in nucleic acids and ATP
Descibe condensation reactions.
All four biologically important macromolecules are formed by condesation reactions (anabolic), also known as dehydration reactions.
Two functional groups come together, one group loses a H, the other loses an O and an H, a covalent bond is formed between the groups and water is produced.
Describe hydrolysis reactions.
all four biologically important macromolecules are broken down by hydrolysis reactions (catabolic).
Involves the separation of two subunits, water is used to break the covalent bond between groups, one group takes an H, the other takes an H and an O.
How are condensation reactions and hydrolysis reactions related?
They are opposite reactions, both require enzymes.
