Organic Chemistry
Key Concepts and Vocabulary
Key Concepts:
Vocabulary:
• What does organic mean? • Organic
• What are the 4 major
• Monomer
groups of macromolecules?
• Polymer
• What do the 4 major
macromolecules do?
• What makes up the 4 major
macromolecules?
Introduction
• The most abundant elements in living cells
are CARBON, HYDROGEN, OXYGEN,
NITROGEN, AND PHOSPHORUS.
• What are the chemical formulas for these
elements?
• Any compound that contains CARBON is
called an ORGANIC COMPOUND.
Macromolecules
• Macromolecules - large organic molecules
made of many joined polymers.
Four Major Groups of Macromolecules:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Building Macromolecules
• Organic molecules can be very large (1001000 atoms)
• Most organic molecules are made of small
subunits or blocks called monomers.
• Monomers link together with covalent
bonds to form long chains called polymers.
Polymer
Monomer
Monomer
Monomer
Building Organic Molecules
• Dehydration synthesis - monomers are
bonded together to form polymers and
water is removed from the compounds.
• Hydrolysis - a water molecule splits a
polymer apart into individual monomers.
Carbohydrates
• Function - energy source, energy storage,
and a structural material
• Always end in –ose
Examples of Carbohydrates
• Monosaccharides – monomer of
carbohydrates Ex. glucose, fructose
• Disaccharides - made of two
monosaccharides Ex. sucrose, lactose
• Polysaccharides – large polymers made
of many monosaccharides Ex. starch and
cellulose
– Starch is used for energy storage in plants
– Cellulose functions as support in plants.
Lipids
• Function - energy storage and insulation
• Don’t dissolve in water
• Glycerol and Fatty acids - monomers of
lipids
Examples of Lipids
• Saturated fats - solid at room temperature
Ex. butter
• Unsaturated fats - liquid at room
temperature Ex. oil
• Phospholipids - function in cell
membranes
• Steroids - function as hormones
Proteins
• Function - structural support, transport,
hormones, movement (muscle), antibodies,
and enzymes.
• Amino acids - monomers of proteins.
• Peptide bond - special bonds that hold
amino acids together.
• Polymers of amino acids are called
polypeptides.
Examples of Proteins
• Actin, myosin, and trypsin - contract muscles
causing movement.
• Hemoglobin and myoglobin - transport oxygen in
the body.
• Amylase, lipase, and lactase - break down
substances in the body. (Enzymes)
• Gamma globulin - functions in the immune
system.
• Insulin, glucagon, and growth hormone chemical messengers in the body.
• Collagen and keratin - structural materials in the
body.
Nucleic Acids
• Function - carry genetic information
• Nucleotides - monomers of nucleic acids.
• Examples:
– DNA – controls cell activity, carries genetic
information
– RNA – makes proteins