Organic Chemistry Flashcards
Organic compounds contain
Carbon.
What type of bond do all organic compounds have?
Covalently bonded molecules
All other compounds that do not contain carbon are inorganic. Name some examples
water, salts, and many acids and bases.
All ions are considered electrolytes. What is an electrolyte?
Substances that conduct an electrical current in solution.
Why are electrolytes important?
Because they are essential for nerve impulse transmission and muscle contraction.
Maintaining proper ionic balance is our body fluids is one of the most crucial ____ roles of the kidneys.
Homeostatic.
Like salts, ___ and ___ are electrolytes. They ionize and dissociate in water and can then conduct an electrical current.
Acids, bases.
What is the definition of an acid?
An acid is a substance that releases hydrogen ions (H+) in detectable amounts. They are proton donors.
What is the definition of a base?
A base TAKES UP hydrogen ions (H+) in detectable amounts. They are proton acceptors.
Concentration of hydrogen ions in various body fluids is measured in concentration units called..?
pH units
a pH of 7 is considered..?
Neutral - neither acidic or base such as pure distilled water
Solutions with a pH below 7 are considered..?
Acidic - the hydrogen ions outnumber the hydroxyl ions.
The lower the number of a pH scale, the more ___ the solution is.
acidic
Solutions with a pH higher than 7 is considered ..?
Alkaline - hydrogen ions decrease in concentration.
When the hydrogen ion concentration increases in the pH scale, ___ ion concentration always increases.
hydroxyl
What are the organic compounds?
Carbohydrates
Lipids (fats)
Proteins
Nucleic Acids
What are the 2 exceptions the inorganic/organic rule?
Carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide contain carbon but are considered inorganic compounds.
Carbon is precisely electroneutral. What does this mean?
Electroneutral- carbon never gains or loses electrons, but always instead SHARES them.
Carbon has 4 valence shell electrons. Carbon forms 4 ____ bonds with other elements and other carbon atoms.
Covalent
Define polymer.
Polymer - chainlike molecule made of many similar or repeating units (monomers).
Polymers are joined together by ..?
Dehydration synthesis
Define dehydration synthesis.
Dehydration synthesis - Monomers are joined by removal of OH from one monomer and removal of H from the other at the site of bond formation.
How often does the removal of water at the bond site occur?
Occurs each time a monomer is added to the growing polymer chain.
A group molecules that includes sugars and starches and represents 1-2% of cell mass.
Carbohydrates
Monosaccharides are the _____ , or the building blocks, that make up the other carbs.
Monomers
Single chain or single ring structures, simple sugars containing from 3 to 7 carbon atoms.
Monosaccharides.
What are some important monosacchs?
Pentose sugars - Ribose and deoxyriblose
Hexose sugars - Glucose (blood sugar)
How can you determine the type of monosacch?
Monosacchs are named generically according to the number of carbon atoms they contain: Pentose -5 carbon sugars, and hexose - 6 carbon sugars
What is dehydration synthesis?
When a water molecule is lost as the bond is made.
How is a disacch, or a double sugar, made?
A disacch is formed when two monosacchs are joined together by dehydration synthesis.
Are disacchs able to pass through cell membranes?
No, they are too large and must be digested down to their simple sugar units to be absorbed.
What is the process of a disacch being broken down into its simple sugar units?
Hydrolysis
Define hydrolysis
This is a decomposition process which is essentially the opposite of dehydration synthesis. A water molecule is added to each bond, breaking the bond and releasing the simple sugar units.
Name some important disacchs.
Sucrose, maltose, lactose
The process during which a water molecule is added to each bond, adding OH to one monomer and H to the other, breaking the bond and releasing the simple sugar units.
Hydrolysis (lysis = break)
What is a polysaccharide?
Polymers of simple sugars linked together by dehydration synthesis.
Since they are fairly insoluble, they are ideal storage units. Name some storage carbs.
Starch - storage carb formed by plants
Glycogen - storage carb of animal tissues stored primarily in skeletal and liver cells.
What is the major function of carbs?
Major source of cellular fuel
Structural molecules such as ribose in RNA
Most cells can only use a few types of simple sugars. Which one is the “favorite”
Glucose: the major energy fuel for forming ATP
Carbohydrates contain
C, H, O (CH20)n
Lipids contain
C, H, O but less than carbs, and sometimes Phosphorous in the more complex lipids
Lipids are ____ in water.
Insoluable
Name some of the main types of lipids
Neutral fats or triglycerides
Phospholipids
Steriods
Eicosanoids
What type of lipid is:
- Called fats when solid and oils when liquid
- Composed of 3 fatty acids bonded with a glycerol molecule
Neutral Fats/Triglycerides
What are the main functions of triglycerides?
- Energy storage
- Insulation
- Protection
What are the two building blocks of of triglycerides?
Fatty acids and glycerol
Triglycerides are called ____ when solid and ___ when in a liquid state.
fats, oils
Triglycerides are composed of __ fatty acid bonded with a ________ molecule.
3, glycerol
The ____ backbone remains the same in all triglycerides, but the ___ ___ chains vary, resulting in different kinds of fats and oils.
Glycerol, fatty acid
Nonpolar = unattracted to water. What is another name for nonpolar?
Hydrophobic
Polar = attracted to water, which is a polar molecule. What is another word for polar?
Hydrophilic
What type of saturation is considered “heart healthy”?
Unsaturated fatty acids
What determines a fatty acid’s saturation?
The number of C between atoms and number of H atoms.