the chemistry of life: organic compounds

Question 1

organic compound

Answer 1

any member of a large class of chemical compounds whole molecules contain carbon

Question 2

carbon

Answer 2

• versatile atom
• has four electrons in an outer shell that holds eight
• carbon can share its electrons with other atoms to form up to four covalent bonds
• carbon can use its bonds to attach to other carbons and form an endless diversity of carbon skeletons

Question 3

hydrocarbons

Answer 3

• the simplest organic compounds are hydrocarbons
• only contain hydrogen and carbon
• the simplest hydrocarbon is methane; larger hydrocarbons are the main molecules in the gasoline for cars, the hydrocarbons of fat molecules provide energy for our bodies

Question 4

functional groups

Answer 4

reactive groups of atoms attached to the carbon “backbone”

Question 5

organic macromolecules

Answer 5

• composed of long chains of smaller molecules
• are formed through the process of polymerization
• 4 types or organic macromolecules: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acid

Question 6

polymerization

Answer 6

large compounds are built by joining smaller one together (small units=monomers; form larger units=polymers)

Question 7

dehydration synthesis

Answer 7

• AKA condensation reaction
• dehydrate = lose water
• synthesis = to join or make
• monomers are combined
• H2O released

Question 8

hydrolysis

Answer 8

• form of digestion
• hydrate = to water
• with the breaking of bonds, water molecules are added to each smaller molecule

Question 9

carbohydrates

Answer 9

• AKA sugars or carbs
• chemical compounds that contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen
• the 3 elements exist in a 1:2:1 ratio
• organisms use carbohydrates as a primary source of energy
• plants use carbohydrates for structural support
• building blocks = monosaccharides

Question 10

monosaccharides

Answer 10

• monosaccharide = simple sugar
• small in size and easily diffuse into and out of the cell
• there are 3 monosaccharides: glucose, fructose, galactose
• products of the following chemical reactions: photosynthesis, digestion, conversion of fats and proteins
• organism uses: fuel for perspiration and building larger sugars

Question 11

disaccharides

Answer 11

• disaccharides = a sugar made from the combination of two monosaccharides
  ex.
  sucrose = glucose + fructose (table sugar)
  lactose = glucose + galactose (milk sugar)
  maltose = glucose + glucose (cereal)

Question 12

polysaccharides

Answer 12

• polysaccharides = “giant” sugar made from a combination of 3 or more monosaccharides
• AKA starches
• used for longterm energy storage and structural support purposes
• major bio - starches include: glycogen and cellulose

Question 13

glycogen

Answer 13

storage starch for an organisms supply of glucose

Question 14

chitin

Answer 14

starch that forms the exoskeleton of anthropods

Question 15

cellulose

Answer 15

structural glucose that forms the cell wall in plant cells

Question 16

lipids

Answer 16

• numerous and diverse, serves many functions
• not water soluble
• 3 important types: glycerides, steroids, phospholipids

Question 17

glycerides

Answer 17

• building blocks are glycerol and fatty acids
• functions: energy storage, insulation, protection, waterproofing
• saturated and unsaturated fats

Question 18

saturated fats

Answer 18

• solid at room temperature
• found in animal products
• the hydrocarbon tail of this lipid has carbon atoms saturated with hydrogen at each bond site
• contains no double or triple bonds between carbon atoms

Question 19

unsaturated fats

Answer 19

• liquids at room temperature
• found in plant, fish oil, and legumes
  the carbons are not saturated with hydrogen bonds
  main contain one or more double or triple bonds between carbon atoms

Question 20

steroids

Answer 20

• four carbon rings
• not water soluble
  ex. cholesterol, testosterone, estrogen

Question 21

phospholipids

Answer 21

• phospholipid = major component of cell membrane of various organisms
• phospholipids have two fatty acids attached to glycerol and a phosphate group at the thing position
• the phosphate group carries a negative charge giving the molecule polarity

Question 22

phospholipid structure

Answer 22

• the fatty acid tail is hydrophobic
• phosphate head group is hydrophilic
• as phospholipids are added to water, they assemble with the hydrophobic tails pointing toward the center and the hydrophilic heads on the outside

Question 23

protein (polypeptides)

Answer 23

• amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds (polypeptides)
• six functions of proteins:
  1. storage = albumin (egg white)
  2. transport = hemoglobin
  3. regulatory = hormones
  4. movement = muscles
  5. structural = membranes, hair, nails
  6. enzymes = cellular reactions
• 4 levels of protein structures: primary structure, secondary structure, tertiary structure, quaternary structure

Question 24

primary structure

Answer 24

amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds (straight chains)

Question 25

secondary structure

Answer 25

3 dimensional folding arrangement of a primary structure into coils and pleats held together by hydrogen bonds

Question 26

tertiary structure

Answer 26

• secondary structures bent and folded into a more complex 3-d arrangement of linked polypeptides
• bonds: h-bonds, ionic, disulfide bridges (s-s)
• form subunits

Question 27

quaternary structure

Answer 27

• composed of 2 or more “subunits”
• globular in shape
• form in aqueous environments
  ex. enzymes (hemoglobin)

Question 28

nucleic acids

Answer 28

• macromolecules that contain carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen
• building blocks for amino acids
• integral to the formation and copying of DNA
  ex. DNA and RNA
  DNA is information center for the cell, basis for heredity
  RNA helps in making proteins
  building blocks are nucleotides