lecture 1: carbon Flashcards
Two fundamental requirements in organisms (requirements for life)
- Energy
2. Carbon
What (3) else do organisms require for the proper functioning of their cells?
Water, minerals, vitamins
What is the backbone of life?
carbon
What carbon-based (organic) molecules distinguish living matter from non-living matter? (4)
Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids
What 4 elements make up >95% of all matter found in organisms?
H, O, N, and C
What (3) make carbon the best (and versatile) building block, forming almost limitless array of strong molecular skeletons that work in extreme and moderate environments?
- 4 covalent bonds
- Double bonds
- C-C bonds are strong
What are organic molecules and what bonds (2) do they contain?
Term first used to describe molecules found in organisms
Also called carbon-based molecules
Include C-H and C-C covalent bonds
What is vitalism (2)?
Idea that:
- principle of physics and chemistry observed in lab did not apply in the production of organic molecules in organisms —> could not make organic molecules in lab
- organic molecules are created by a vital force within an organism —> “magic”
Death to vitalism?
1828: Wöhler synthesized urea in a lab without use of kidneys —> shows that organic substances do follow principles of physics and chemistry just like in a lab
Diversity in carbon skeletons (4)
- Length
- Double bond position
- Branching
- Presence of rings
What are functional groups and what atoms (5) do they contain?
- Groups that are bonded to a carbon atom of the carbon skeleton in an organic molecule
- H, N, O, P, S
In an organic molecule, the carbon skeleton gives the molecule…
its overall shape
Functional groups determine the _________ of a molecule (2 sub aspects)
chemical behaviors
- chemical reactivity (chemical reactions change structure)
- interactions with other molecules (no change in structure)
The chemical behaviour of a molecule determines its….
biological properties
What gives each organic molecule its unique chemical properties and unique biological properties? (2)
- Number of functional groups
2. Arrangement of functional groups
Structural diversity in biomolecules leads to…
functional diversity (structure fits function!)
Structural diversity in biomolecules stems from diversity in… (2)
- carbon skeletons
2. functional groups
What are isomers?
Compounds with the same molecular formula but different structures and properties
What are structural isomers?
Have different covalent arrangements of their atoms which lead to different chemical properties
What are steroisomers?
Have identical bonding relationships, but the spatial positioning of the atoms differs (in 3D-space)
- Can have similar chemical properties but different biological properties
Can stereoisomers have different biological properties?
Yes, bc of different structure
Polar vs Non-polar bonds + examples
- Polar: unequal sharing of electrons bc of electronegativity difference between atoms —> C-O, H-O
- Non-polar: equal sharing of electrons, no big electronegativity difference —> C-H, H-H
Proportion of polar/nonpolar bonds in
biomolecules affect… (3)
- Solubility in water
- Ability to form hydrogen bonds with other chemical groups
- Chemical energy when used as a fuel in energy metabolism
What type of reaction makes polymers? Breaks them down? (2 + defintion)
- Dehydration synthesis (condensation) reaction: remove water, monomer in
- Hydrolysis reaction: add water, monomer out
Why do organisms need organic molecules? (3 + examples)
- Storage:
- excess glucose (from starch, plant) is stored as glycogen in liver + muscle
- excess fatty acids (from fats) are used to build fats and stored in adipose tissue - Building:
- amino acids (from proteins) are transported into all cells where they are used to build porteins
- organic molecules used to make other organic molecules - Energy use:
- portion of absorbed (from digestion then absorbed into blood) glucose and fatty acids are used to supply energy needs for cells
