(Unit 1) Chapter 4: Carbon and the Molecular Diversity of Life Flashcards
What element accounts for the large diversity of biological molecules?
Carbon
Define:
Organic Chemistry
The branch of chemistry that specializes in the study of carbon compounds
What are the major elements of life? (6)
Hydrogen (H) Oxygen (O) Nitrogen (N) Sulfur (S) Phosphorus (P) Carbon (C)
Who made the distinction between organic compounds (those only from living organisms) and inorganic compounds (those only found in the non-living world)?
Jons Jakob Berzelius, Swedish chemist
Define:
Vitalism
The belief in a life force outside the jurisdiction of physical and chemical laws
What did vitalism eventually shift to, the new stream of biological thought?
Mechanism
Define:
Mechanism
The view that physical and chemical laws govern all natural phenomena, including the processes of life
What did Friedrich Wohler create from mixing solutions of ammonium ions and cyanate ions?
Urea
What did Hermann Kolbe create from mixing inorganic substances?
Acetic acid
Define:
Abiotic
Nonliving
Carbon has _ electrons, with _ in the first electron shell and _ in the second shell
6
2
4
This ____________ is one facet of carbon’s versatility that makes large, complex molecules possible
Tetravalence
When a carbon atom has four single bonds to other atoms, the molecule is ___________
Tetrahedral
True or False:
A carbon molecule may have more than one tetrahedral group of single-bonded atoms
True
When two carbon atoms are joined by a double bond, what shape is the molecule?
The molecule is flat, as all atoms attached to those carbons are in the same plane
What are certain variations in the carbon skeletons of organic molecules? (4)
Length: May vary in length
Branching: May be branched or unbranched
Double bonds: May have double bonds, may vary in location
Rings: May be arranged in rings
Define:
Hydrocarbons
Organic molecules composed of only carbon and hydrogen
What shape is methane (CH4)?
Tetrahedral, as it has four single bonds to the hydrogens
What shape is ethane (C2H6)?
Double tetrahedral, like two methane bonded together
What shape is ethene/ethylene (C2H4)?
Flat, as there is a double bond between the carbons
Though hydrocarbons aren’t prevalent in living organisms, what is an example where they occur?
On the tails of fats, accounting for the fat’s hydrophobic properties and use for energy
Define:
Isomers
Compounds that have the same numbers of atoms of the same elements but different structures and hence different properties
Define:
Structural Isomers
Differ in the covalent arrangements of their atoms
True or False:
The number of possible isomers increases tremendously as carbon skeletons increase in size
True
True of False:
Structural isomers are only different in the arrangements of their atoms
False, structural isomers may also differ in the location of double bonds
Define:
Geometric Isomers
Have the same covalent partnerships, but they differ in their spatial arrangements
Geometric isomers differ in the arrangement around what?
Double bonds
If two atoms/group of atoms are on the same side of the double bond, what kind of a geometric isomer is this?
Cis isomer
If two atoms/group of atoms are on opposite sides of the double bond, what kind of a geometric isomer is this?
Trans isomer
Define:
Enantiomers
Isomers that are mirror images of each other
What types of enantiomers are there?
L and D isomers (stands for levo and dextro, Latin for left and right respectively)
Where is the concept of enantiomers important? Why?
The pharmaceutical industry
Two enantiomers of a drug may not be equally effective (e.x. S-Ibuprofen is effective whereas R-Ibuprofen)
Define:
Functional groups
The different chemical groups that affect the molecular function (e.x. affecting the chemical’s shape or how it reacts in a reaction)
What are the seven most important chemical groups in biological processes? (7)
Hydroxyl Carbonyl Carboxyl Amino Sulfhydryl Phosphate Methyl
True or False:
Hydroxyl, carbonyl, carboxyl, amino, sulfhydryl, and phosphate groups can act as functional groups
True
Hydroxyl, carbonyl, carboxyl, amino, sulfhydryl, and phosphate groups are also ___________
Hydrophilic, thus increase the solubility of organic compounds in water
The methyl group is not ________, but instead often acts as a recognizable ___ on biological molecules
Reactive
Tag
List the structure, name, example, and functional properties (2) of:
Hydroxyl groups
OH group, hydrogen bonded to oxygen bonded to carbon skeleton
Alcohols (names usually end in -ol)
Ethanol
Polar as electrons spend more time near electronegative oxygen atom, can form hydrogen bonds with water molecules (helps dissolve organic compounds such as sugar)
List the structure, name (2), examples (2), and functional properties (2) of:
Carbonyl groups
Oxygen double bonded to a carbon atom
Ketones (if within carbon skeleton), Aldehydes (if at end of carbon skeleton)
Acetone, Propanal
Ketones and aldehydes may be structural isomers with different properties (e.x. acetone and propanal), found in sugars (giving rise to two major groups of sugars: aldoses (aldehydes) and ketoses (ketones))
List the structure, name, example, and functional properties (2) of:
Carboxyl groups
Oxygen double bonded to a carbon atom that is also bonded to an OH group
Carboxylic acids, or organic acids
Acetic acid
Has acidic properties (source of H+ ions), found in cells in the ionized form with a charge -1 (called carboxylate ion)
List the structure, name, example, and functional properties (2) of:
Amino groups
Nitrogen atom bonded to two hydrogen atoms and to the carbon skeleton
Amines
Glycine (an amino acid, as it also has a carboxyl group)
Acts as a base (can pick up H+ from surrounding solution, water in living organisms), ionized with a charge 1+ under cellular conditions
Compounds with both amino and carboxyl groups are known as what?
Amino acid
List the structure, name, example, and functional properties (2) of:
Sulfhydryl groups
Sulfur bonded to hydrogen atom, bonded to a carbon skeleton
Thiols
Cysteine (also an amino acid)
Two sulfhydryl groups can react and form a covalent bond (helps stabilize protein structure), this cross-linking maintains the curliness or straightness of hair
What is the covalent bond formed between two sulfhydryl groups called?
“Cross linking”
List the structure, name, example, and functional properties (2) of:
Phosphate groups
1 phosphorus bonded to 4 oxygen, with one oxygen bonded to the carbon atom (2 oxygens have negative charge) Organic phosphates Glycerol phosphate (takes part in many reactions in cells, backbone of phospholipids) Contributes negative charge to the molecule which it is a part of (-2 when at end, -1 when in the middle of a chain of phosphates), has potential to react with water (releasing energy)
List the structure, name, example, and functional properties (2) of:
Methyl groups
1 carbon bonded to 3 hydrogens, bonded to the carbon chain
Methylated compounds
5-methyl cytidine (component of DNA modified by addition of methyl group)
Addition of this group to DNA affects expression of genes, arrangement in male and female sex hormones affect their shape and function
What is an important source of energy for cellular processes?
ATP (Adenosine triphosphate)
What is ATP?
Organic molecule adenosine attached to a string of three phosphate groups
State the reaction the ATP undergoes
ATP reacts with water; 1 phosphate group splits off as a result and releases energy
After 1 phosphate group splits off of ATP, what is it now known as
ADP (Adenosine diphosphate, as there is only two phosphates left)
