Life with Carbon
Chapter 8 Section 4
The four classes of organic
compounds required by living things
are carbohydrates, proteins, lipids and
nucleic acids
Carbohydrates
• Carbohydrate is an energy-rich organic
compound made of the element carbon,
hydrogen, and oxygen.
• Types of Carbohydrates
1. Simple Carbohydrate Example
simple sugar, glucose.
2. Complex Carbohydrate, Many simple
carbohydrates bonded to one another.
Example Starch and cellulose.
Carbohydrates (Cont..)
• Starch is found in bread, cereal, pasta, rice
and potatoes. The energy released by
breaking down starch allows the body to
carry out its life functions.
• Cellulose (Fiber) is found in plants, we
cannot digest cellulose, however cellulose
helps keep our digestive system healthy.
Proteins
• Our muscles, hair, skin and fingernails are all
made of proteins. Hormones, Insulin &
hemoglobin is Protein.
– Chains of amino Acids Proteins are long
chains of amino acids. Different proteins are
made up of different sequence of amino acids.
– Food Proteins Become your Proteins:
Proteins are found in meat, fish, eggs, and
milk products. The body uses proteins from
food to build and repair body parts and to
regulate cell activities.
Lipids
• Lipids are energy-rich compounds made
up of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen.
Lipids release twice as much energy in
your body as do carbohydrates.
– Fats and oils are made up of three fatty acids
and one alcohol, glycerol.
– Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in all
animal cells. The body needs cholesterol to
build cell structure and to form compound that
serve as chemical messengers.
Lipids (Cont..)
• Lipids do not dissolve in water
• Lipids make cell membrane
• Lipids are used to store vitamins in the
body
• Lipids make up structure called a cell
membrane that surrounds each cell.
• Phospholipids that are found in the cell
membrane help control the movement of
the substances in and out of the cell.
Nucleic Acids
• Nucleic acids are very large organic molecules
made up of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen,
and phosphorous. The two types of nucleic acids
are DNA and RNA.
– Nucleotides are the building blocks of
Nucleic acids. There are only four kinds of
Nucleotides.
– DNA and Proteins: The difference among
living things depend on the order of
nucleotides
Nucleic Acids (Cont..)
• When living things reproduce, they pass
DNA and the information it carries to the
next generation.
• Nucleic acids are stored information
• When a cell needs to make a certain
protein it gets information from DNA in the
cell.
Other Nutrients
• Organisms require water, vitamin, minerals
and salts to support the function of large
molecules.
– Water Most of your body is made up of water,
many chemical reactions take place in water,
wastes from cells are dissolved in water and
are carried out of the body.
– Vitamins are organic compounds that serve
as helper molecules in a variety of chemical
reactions in your body.
Other Nutrients (Cont..)
- Minerals are not organic compounds
they are ions needed in the body.
- Salts Are ionic compounds found in
your body as dissolved ion. Most
important salt in our body is NaCl.
Other salts help to keep blood pH
balanced and also help for healthy
teeth and bones.