Organic Chemistry
• Organic chemistry is the study of organic compounds – compounds
that contain carbon.
• Carbon is a component of almost all biological molecules.
• Carbon atoms bond together to form a variety of important organic
compounds.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education
The Building Blocks of Life
Organic molecules and
Inorganic molecules—what’s
the difference?
• Organic molecules contain carbon
• Inorganic molecules do not contain
carbon.
Organic molecules are considered the “chemicals of
life.”
Macromolecules
• Macromolecules are large molecules that are formed by joining smaller
organic molecules together.
• Macromolecules are organized into four major categories:
• Carbohydrates
• Lipids
• Polymers are molecules made from repeating units of identical or
nearly identical compounds called monomers.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education
The Building Blocks of Life
How are polymers formed?
• Dehydration Synthesis
• During this process, two
hydrogen atoms and one
oxygen atom are removed
from the monomers to form
water, and then, the two
monomers are joined
together.
How are polymers broken
apart?
• Hydrolysis
• Polymers are broken apart by the
reverse of Dehydration Synthesis
• During this process, water is added to
the polymer, which “un-links” the
chain and breaks the polymer back
down into its original
monomer units.
Biological Macromolecules
Animation
FPO
Add link to interactive table from page 167 (Table 1) here.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education
Water and Solutions
Macromolecule Study Guide
Macromolecule
Subunit
(a.k.a. monomer)
Carbohydrate
Lipids
Proteins
Nucleic Acids
Function
(minimum 2)
Examples
(minimum 2)
Elements in
the molecule
Macromolecules
Carbohydrates
• Compounds composed of a ratio of 1 carbon :2 hydrogen :1 oxgyen
are called carbohydrates.
• Carbohydrates are usually in a ring shape with only CHO in its
structural formula.
• Carbohydrates are a primary energy source in organisms, as well as
functioning as cellular support in plants, fungi, and animals.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education
The Building Blocks of Life
CARBOHYDRATES
•
Examples: sugars, starches, and cellulose
•
Subunits: monosaccharides, disaccharides and polysaccharides
saccharide = sugar (Sucrose, Glucose, Fructose)
•
Typical form is: (CH2O); Ring Shape
•
Functions: energy, cell wall, structural support, and cell markers
Macromolecules
Lipids
• Lipids are molecules made mostly of carbon and hydrogen that make
up the fats, oils, and waxes.
• A lipid’s primary function is to store energy, but they are also used to
prevent water loss in plants and form the honeycomb in beehives.
• Lipids are usually in a chain shape with only CHO in its structural
formula
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education
The Building Blocks of Life
LIPIDS
•
Examples: fats, phospholipids oils, waxes, and steroids
•
Subunits: glycerol and fatty acids plus a phosphate group
•
Insoluble in water
•
Functions: energy storage and insulation
•
Typical Form: CHO; Chain Shape
Macromolecules
Proteins
• Proteins are compounds made of smaller carbon compounds called amino
acids.
• All amino acids are made of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, and
sometimes sulfur and share the same general structure.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education
The Building Blocks of Life
Macromolecules
Proteins
• There are 20 different amino acids, and proteins are composed of various
combinations
• Proteins are responsible for structural support in cells, transporting
substances within and between cells, signaling within and between cells,
speeding up chemical reactions, and controlling cell growth.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education
The Building Blocks of Life
PROTEINS
•
•
•
•
Elements: C,H,O,N
Subunit: amino acids
Form with peptide bonds
Functions: enzymes, structural components in cells, mechanical functions
in muscle, cytoskeleton, cell signaling, and immune response
Amino Acid and Protein Structure
Animation
FPO
Add link to interactive table from page 170 (Figure 29) here.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education
Water and Solutions
Macromolecules
Nucleic acids
• Nucleic acids are complex macromolecules that transmit and store genetic
information.
• Nucleic acids are composed of smaller repeating subunits composed of
carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, and hydrogen called nucleotides.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education
The Building Blocks of Life
Macromolecules
Nucleic acids
• There are two types of nucleic acids in living organisms:
• Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)
• Ribonucleic acid (RNA)
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education
The Building Blocks of Life
NUCLEIC ACIDS
• Examples: DNA and RNA
• Subunits: 5-carbon sugar (C,H,O),
phosphate group, and a nitrogen base
• Functions: encode genes and gene
expression
• Elements: C,H,O,N,P
• Shape: Double Helix or Twisted Ladder
Review
Essential Questions
•
•
•
What is the role of carbon in living organisms?
What are the four major families of biological macromolecules?
What are the functions of each group of biological macromolecules?
Vocabulary
•
•
•
•
macromolecule
polymer
Carbohydrate
Hydrolysis
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education
•
•
•
lipid
protein
amino acid
• nucleic acid
• nucleotide
• Dehydration
synthesis
The Building Blocks of Life