The “stuff” of life
Organic Molecules
What do they have in common?
Living Organisms Are Chemical
Factories

All life is based on organic molecules
- molecules that are built on a backbone of
CARBON.
- also contain Hydrogen
- and many also have Oxygen
- often contain functional groups – smaller
molecules which are part of a larger
molecule and give it unique properties
Why are Organic Molecules
based on Carbon?
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Carbon has unique properties
- carbon is abundant – there’s lots of it
- can bond with up to 4 other atoms
- can bond readily with itself and other
elements
- makes chains with different shapes
- shape determines function
- forms bonds with different strengths
Carbon can bond with up to four
other atoms
Carbon has 4 valence
electrons
Allows it to bond with 4
other atoms
Carbon Bonds Readily with
Itself
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This allows carbon to be the backbone of large
and complex molecules.
C C C C C C C C C C C

Carbon bonds readily with other elements
- in living things: Sulfur, Phosphorus, Oxygen,
Nitrogen, & Hydrogen (SPONCH)
Carbon Bonds to Build a Variety
of Shapes

Straight chains
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Branched chains
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Rings
Carbon Forms Bonds of
Different Strengths

Single Bonds
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Double Bonds
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Triple Bonds
Biomolecules are Macro(big)molecules
 All
biological molecules (biomolecules) are
large complex molecules – made of chains
of smaller molecules
 4 Types of biomolecules
- Carbohydrates – sugars and starches
- Lipids – fats and oils
- Proteins
- Nucleic Acids – DNA, RNA, ATP, ADP
Biomolecules are Polymers

Polymer –(poly = many mer = part) -Large
molecules made of smaller molecules called
monomers (mono = one mer = part)
Polymer
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Each type of biomolecule has its own monomer
Biomolecule
Carbohydrate
Lipid
Protein
Nucleic Acid
Monomer_________
Monosaccharide
Fatty Acid and Glycerol
Amino Acid
Nucleotide
Condensation Reactions

Condensation Reaction – Reaction which
joins monomers together to form a
polymer
- called condensation reaction because a
molecule of water is removed from the
polymers during the reaction.
- also called dehydration synthesis
Condensation Reaction
Hydrolysis Breaks Apart
Polymers

Hydrolysis – reactions which break the
bonds between monomers in a polymer.

Called hydrolysis because water is added
at each broken bond
Hydrolysis
What should you know?
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Organic molecule
Characteristics of carbon
Biomolecule
Macromolecule
4 types of biomolecules
Monomer
Monomers of each type of biomolecule
Polymer
Condensation reaction
Hydrolysis