BIO 2 GO!
3111
WATER
ORGANIC MOLECULES
All living things require water.
All living things need organic compounds.
Any living thing that violates either of the above will not survive.
1103
WATER
ORGANIC MOLECULES
3111
At the end of this unit of study, you should be able to do the following:
1. Determine if a molecule is organic or inorganic.
2. List 5 types of organic molecules.
3. List 2 types of inorganic molecule.
4. Draw a picture of a water molecule.
5. Identify the positive and negative end of a water molecule.
6. Explain why water molecules stick together.
7. List and describe the 2 properties of water.
8. Use the following words in their correct context:
organic molecule
positive
lipid
inorganic molecule
negative
protein
water
density
nucleic acid
polar
carbohydrate
vitamin
Organic vs. Inorganic Compounds
3111
Objective: You should be able to
1) Define organic molecule and inorganic molecule.
2) Determine if a molecule is organic or inorganic.
3) Remember that carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, vitamins, and nucleic acids
are organic molecules.
4) Remember that water is an inorganic molecule.
REMEMBER THIS!!!
There are two types of molecules found in living things, organic and inorganic.
1. Organic Molecules
Organic molecules are molecules that contain carbon atoms. You have probably
heard of the following words: carbohydrate, lipid, protein, vitamin and nucleic acid.
They are all examples of ORGANIC MOLECULES. In the next learning packets
you will have to know what each of the organic molecules do for living things. For
right now, you should know that carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, vitamins, and
nucleic acids are all types of organic molecules because they contain carbon atoms.
Question 1:
How would you know if a molecule was organic?
It would contain carbon.
Questions 2: List 5 examples of organic molecules.
Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids, and vitamins.
2. Inorganic Molecules
Inorganic molecules are easy to remember. They are molecules that don’t
contain carbon. 2 examples of inorganic molecules that are important to all living
things are water and minerals.
Question 3: How would you know if a molecule is inorganic?
It would not contain carbon.
Question 4: List 2 examples of inorganic molecules.
Water, minerals
REMEMBER THIS!!!
All organic molecules contain carbon. No inorganic molecules contain carbon.
The following chart may help you remember the difference between organic
molecules and inorganic molecules.
organic molecules (contain carbon)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
carbohydrate
lipid
protein
vitamin
nucleic acid
inorganic molecules (no carbon)
1. water
2. minerals
Question 5: If someone asked you whether a molecule was organic or inorganic,
how would you distinguish between an organic and an inorganic molecule?
I would look to see if it contained carbon or not.
Self Test:
1. Without looking…. Can you define organic molecule?
A molecule that contains carbon.
2. Can you explain why water is considered an inorganic molecule?
It does not contain carbon.
3. Are vitamins organic or inorganic? Why?
They are organic because they contain carbon.
Water
Chemical and Physical Properties
Water is an extremely important inorganic molecule to living things for
many reasons. Any living thing that is deprived of water for a long period of time
usually dies.
Water is an interesting inorganic molecule. Please examine the picture below. It
shows a water molecule.
What did you notice about the water molecule?
You probably noticed its funny shape and the + and – signs. Try to
remember that the water molecule has both a positive and a negative end – similar
to the positive and negative ends of a magnet. Because of this, water is polar.
Polar means it has a positive and a negative end. Magnets are polar. The
Earth is polar. Because the water molecule is polar, it is able to attach to other
water molecules in the same way that magnets are able to attract each other.
Here is a picture that shows how water molecules would attach to each other.
Notice how the positive (+) end of a water molecule is attracted to the negative (-)
end of the water molecule. Just like magnets.
REMEMBER THIS!!!!
Water is a polar molecule because it has a positive (+) and a negative (-)
end.
REMEMBER THIS!!!
Water molecules stick together because opposite charges (+) and (-) attract
each other. Opposites attract.
Your Turn: Try to draw a water molecule in the space below. Why can water
molecules stick together?
Pictures should look like above.
Water molecules stick together because they are polar, meaning they have
opposite charges that attract to each other.
2 Properties of Water
There are 2 important properties of water that make the water molecule
important to all living things. 1) density 2) solubility. You will need to know them.
Property of Water: DENSITY
The first property of water that is important to life is density. Density
means how tightly something is packed. Something that is very dense is tightly
packed. Something that is very dense is also usually a solid. Something that is not
as tightly packed, less dense, is usually a liquid. Finally something that is loosely
packed, less dense, is usually a gas. These are the 3 states of matter. For water,
density means how tightly the water molecules are packed.
REMEMBER THIS!!!
Density means how tightly a substance is packed.
Question 6. What are the 2 properties of water that make water special to living
things?
Density and solubility
Question 7. What determines the density of water and whether a molecule of
water is a solid, liquid or gas?
How tightly the molecules are packed into a given space.
The density of water molecules is important to all living things. Because of the
density of water, certain things float on water while others sink. Things that are
more dense than water, like rocks, sink when they are placed in water. Things that
are less dense than water, like dry wood, float.
Question 8. Why does ice (the solid form of water) float on top of liquid water?
Because it is less dense than liquid water.
Interesting Scientific Fact: The answer to question 8 is very important to
aquatic life, because if ice was denser than water, it would sink to the bottom when
it formed. Over a cold season, it would continue to form and sink, again and again,
until the water was completely solid. This would freeze all of the fish and other
plants and animals living in the water and they would die. Aquatic life depends on
water remaining in the liquid state in order to live.
Question 9. Water vapor is the gaseous form of water. How would you describe
and explain to someone the difference between liquid water and water vapor?
Water vapor has molecules that are even less tightly packed than water.
Property of Water: SOLUBILITY
The second property of water that is important to life is SOLUBILITY.
Solubility is the ability of water to dissolve many substances. All life relies on this
property of water, the ability of water to dissolve many substances that are used
to support and maintain life. You have probably stirred sugar into iced tea. The
water in the tea is dissolving the sugar. Kool-Aid dissolves in water to make a
drink. You experience the process of dissolving in everyday living. Because water
allows many substances to dissolve in it, it is important to all living things.
Substance Dissolved
Substance did NOT dissolve.
REMEMBER THIS!!!
Water is able to dissolve many substances that are important for use by
living things.
Question 10. List 2 common examples of substances dissolving in water.
Sugar and salt
Interesting Scientific Fact: Many chemical reactions, like cellular respiration,
(you will have to know what this word means later on) are required to occur in living
things if they are to stay alive. The chemicals used in this process and others will
not work until they are dissolved in water. If these reactions do not take place,
the livings things die. That is why all living things must contain water. Humans are
mostly made of water.
REMEMBER THIS!!!
The basic functions of all living things depend upon water and the ability of
water to dissolve substances needed by the body.
Question 10. Explain why it is important to living things that water is able to
dissolve many substances.
To be able to maintain life processes.
Self Test:
1. Without looking, list the 2 properties of water.
Density and solubility
2 What does density mean?
How tightly packed molecules are in a given space.
Matching –
Match the following. Choices may be used more than once.
__C __ 1. organic molecules
__D__ 2. inorganic molecules
_ A, C _3. carbohydrate
_A, C_ 4. lipid
_ A, C _5. proteins
__A, C _6. vitamins
_ B, D _7.
_ A, C_ 8.
_B, D_ 9.
__E__ 10.
minerals
nucleic acids
water
polar
A. Organic molecule
B. Inorganic molecule
C. A molecule that contains carbon
atoms
D. A molecule that does not contain
carbon
atoms.
E. A molecule that has a positive
end and a negative end.
True or False
__F__ 1. Organic molecules are molecules that do not contain carbon atoms.
__T__ 2. Inorganic molecules are molecules that do not contain carbon atoms.
__F__ 3. Proteins, carbohydrates, and minerals are organic molecules.
__T__ 4. Minerals and water are inorganic molecules.
__T__ 5. Lipids are molecules that contain carbon atoms.
__T__ 6. Carbohydrates are molecules that contain carbon atoms.
__F__ 7. Water molecules contain carbon atoms.
__T__ 8. Water molecules are inorganic.
__T__ 9. Water is a polar molecule.
__T__ 10. Water has a positive end and a negative end.
__F__ 11. When the negative end of one water molecule comes near the negative
end of another water molecule, the molecules are attracted.
Fill in the Blank – Words may be used more than once.
organic molecules
carbohydrates
minerals
nucleic acids
inorganic molecules
lipids
vitamins
polar
proteins
water
1. _ORGANIC MOLECULES__ are molecules that contain carbon atoms.
2. Organic molecules include _LIPIDS_________, _____PROTEINS___, _NUCLEIC
ACIDS__, _CARBOHYDRATES______, and __VITAMINS_________.
3. __INORGANIC MOLECULES__ are molecules that do not contain carbon atoms.
4. Inorganic molecules include _MINERALS__ and __WATER_______________.
5. Living things are made of _ORGANIC MOLECULES_ and _INORGANIC
MOLECULES_.
6. Water is a _INORGANIC MOLECULE____ molecule.
7. A _POLAR____ molecule has a positive end and a negative end
True or False
__T__ 1. Water is a polar molecule.
__T__ 2. Water is a molecule that has a positive end and a negative end.
__F__ 3. Ice sinks in liquid water.
__T__ 4. Ice floats in liquid water.
__T__ 5. Water is good at dissolving other substances.
__F__ 6. Water is not good at dissolving other substances.
__T__ 7. The cell must contain water in order for cellular reactions to occur.
Fill in the Blank
Polar
dissolve
positive end
move into
negative end
move out
float
1. The __POLAR_____ nature of water gives it a negative end and a positive
end.
2. The _POSITIVE END_____ of one water molecule is attracted to the negative
end of another molecule.
3. The _NEGATIVE END__ of one water molecule is attracted to the positive
end of another molecule.
4. The ability of ice to __FLOAT______ on top of liquid water prevents lakes
from freezing solid during the winter.
5. The ability of water to __DISSOLVE_____ many substances allows a cell to
carry out many chemical reactions in the cell.
Answer the following.
1. What is the difference between an organic molecule and an inorganic molecule?
Organic molecule contains carbon, inorganic molecules do not.
2. Classify each of the following as organic or inorganic.
water _INORGANIC______ carbohydrates _ORGANIC____________
vitamins _ORGANIC______
proteins _ORGANIC_________________
lipids _ORGANIC_______
nucleic acids __ORGANIC______________
minerals _INORGANIC____
3. What is meant by the word polar when describing a water molecule?
One end has a positive charge; the other end has a negative charge.
4. Draw a picture of a water molecule. Show where the positive (+) charge and the
negative (-) charge is located.
5. Which is denser, ice or liquid water?
Liquid water
Try This One: If it is true that each cell must contain water, is it also true that
water must surround each cell? Explain your answer.