ORGANIC COMPOUNDS Flashcards
Molecules unique to living systems all contain carbon
Organic Compounds
electroneutral (never lose or gain electrons)
Carbon
large complex molecules with
thousands of atoms
Macromolecules
chainlike molecules made of smaller, similar subunits
(monomers)
Polymers
process of joining together monomers
Monomers are joined by removal of OH from one monomer and removal of H from the other at the site of bond formation.
Dehydration synthesis
process of degrading molecules (water splitting)
Monomers are released by the addition of a water molecule, adding OH to one monomer and H to the other.
Hydrolysis
includes sugars and starches
Carbohydrates
simple sugars, single chain (e.g. glucose,
galactose, ribose)
Monosaccharides
double sugar, two monosaccharides joined by
dehydration synthesis (sucrose, lactose, maltose)
Disaccharides
polymers of simple sugars, large fairly insoluble
molecules (starch, cellulose – plants; glycogen – animals)
Polysaccharides
provide ready, easily used source of cellular fuel
Functions
insoluble in water but dissolve readily in other lipids, alcohol and ether
Lipids
fats when solid; oil if liquid, yields large amounts of energy
* Composed of fatty acids and glycerol (simple sugar)
* Found mainly beneath the skin to prevent heat loss and protection
Triglycerides
only with single covalent bonds between carbon atoms
Saturated fats
contains one or more double bonds between carbon
atoms
Unsaturated fats
solidified fats by addition of H atoms at carbon double
bonds
Trans fats
modified triglycerides with glycerol, 2 fatty acids,
and phosphate group (PO4)
Phospholipids
flat molecules made of interlocking hydrocarbon rings
Steroids
essential for human life, found in cell membranes and
raw material for synthesis of vitamin D, steroid hormones and bile salts
Cholesterol
lipids found in all cell membranes (e.g.
prostaglandins)
Eicosanoids
basic structure material of the body and plays
vital roles in cell function
PROTEINS
building blocks of protein
Amino acid
globular proteins that act as biological
catalysts (substances that regulate and accelerate the
rate of biochemical reactions)
Enzymes
substance on which an enzyme acts
Substrate
