Organic Chemistry =
The study of compounds that contain bonds
between carbon atoms
The Chemistry of Carbon
Carbon has the ability to bond with many other
elements…..
SPONCH CaFe
Sulfur
Phosphorous
Oxygen
Nitrogen
Carbon
Hydrogen
Calcium
Iron
Carbon has 4 valence electrons
Therefore it can makes four bonds
Carbon atoms can form many types of
bonds….
Macromolecules
Macromolecules (macro = large) are very large molecules
Composed of smaller units called monomers (mono = one)
which join together to form polymers (poly = many)
The process of monomers joining together to
form polymers is called polymerization
Four groups of organic compounds
found in living things
Carbohydrates
Living things use carbohydrates as
their main source of
Breaking down sugars supplies
immediate energy for all cell
activities
Carbohydrates
Made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms
Carbohydrates
Monomers = monosaccharides
Ex) Glucose
Polymers =
Polysaccharides
Ex) Starch, Cellulose
The process of monomers joining together to
form polymers is called polymerization
Lipids
• Lipids are fats!
– Cholesterol
– Oils
– Steroids
– Waxes
Lipids (Fats)
- Function in energy storage
- Key component of cell membranes
Lipids
Contain carbon, oxygen and hydrogen atoms
Some may also contain nitrogen and phosphorous
…. That’s most of our SPONCH CaFe!
Lipids are typically made up of:
A Glycerol molecule + Fatty Acid Chains
Two types of lipids are:
- Triglycerides
- Phospholipids
Triglyercide (tri = 3)
Structure:
• A glycerol backbone
• Three fatty acid chains
Why are triglycerides important?
Triglycerides are used by the body to store energy!
For example:
When you eat a big meal, your body uses
some of the energy, but also stores some of it
Triglycerides can be broken down and used for
energy when your body needs it (I’m hungry!)
Phospholipid:
- Contains a phosphate
group
- Glycerol molecule
- Two fatty acid chains
Phospholipids are made up of two groups:
Polar Group
- interacts with water
Nonpolar Group
- does not interact
with water
“-phillic” = attraction, love
“water loving”
“-phobic” = fear, repelled by
“water fearing”
Arrangement:
• Hydrophilic heads near/touching water
• Hydrophobic tails away from water
The two rows of phospholipids which make up a cell
membrane is called the lipid bilayer (bi = two)
So in a cell, the membrane is made of
phospholipids:
Lipids may be saturated or unsaturated
Saturated
- Only single bonds between
carbon and hydrogen atoms
- Chains are straight
Unsaturated
- One double bond between
two carbon atoms
- Chains are bent
Saturated or unsaturated?
Saturated or unsaturated?
Nucleic Acids
Nucleic Acids
• Contain genetic material
– Contained in the nucleus
• Every living thing has genetic material
• Nucleic acids are made up of:
– Hydrogen
– Oxygen
– Nitrogen
– Carbon
– Phosphorous
Nucleic Acids
The monomers of nucleic acids are nucleotides
Molecular Structure of a Nucleotide
Nucleotides bond together to form polymers
Nucleic Acids
May be DNA or RNA
• Ribonucleic Acid (RNA)
• Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA)
Do Now:
What is the function of nucleic acids?
What are the two types?
How are they different?
What is a monomer called?
Proteins
Why are Proteins Important?
• Regulate the rate of chemical reactions
– Example: Lactose breakdown
• Main components of muscles and bones
• Transport in cells
Molecular Makeup
• Proteins contain the following elements:
– Carbon
– Oxygen
– Hydrogen
– Nitrogen
– Sulfur (small amounts, but very important)
The monomers of proteins are called amino acids
Amino acids bond together to form polypeptides
The bonds between the amino acids are called peptide
bonds
A polypeptide:
Protein Folding
Proteins must be folded in
order to become functional
• Proteins may become unfolded when they are
exposed to extreme environments
• This is called denaturation and leaves the
protein non-functional
• Example)
High fevers can be very
dangerous! Yikes!
Denaturation
Mad Cow Disease
• Degenerative neurological (brain) disorder
• Can be passed on to humans
through contact with infected
meat or animal tissues
• The result of an incorrectly folded protein
– Can then cause other proteins to fold incorrectly
Chemical Reactions
A chemical reaction is a process that changes one set
of chemicals into another set of chemicals
Reactants are the elements or compounds that enter into a
chemical reaction
The elements or compounds produced by a chemical reaction
are known as products
CO₂ +H₂O
H₂CO₃ (carbonic acid)
What are the reactants?
What are the products?
H₂CO₃ (carbonic acid)
CO₂ +H₂O
What are the reactants?
What are the products?
Essentially, chemical reactions involve the
breaking of bonds in reactants and the formation
of new bonds in products
Demo
Do Now!
Identify the reactants and products in the
chemical equation for photosynthesis (the
process by which plants use carbon dioxide,
water and sunlight to produce glucose and
oxygen)
Photosynthesis
Chemical Reaction Activities
• Water bottle and balloon experiment
• Hand warmer experiment
Amylase
Enzymes
Proteins that act as catalysts for chemical reactions
Catalyze means to speed up the rate of a chemical
reaction
So, enzymes speed up chemical reactions in cells
Activation Energy
The energy needed to get the reaction started
Enzymes lower the activation energy
How do enzymes do this?
The substrate is the reactant in the chemical reaction
The active site is the region of the enzyme that the substrate binds to
Lactose Intolerance
• Dairy contains a protein
called lactose
• Lactose intolerant people
can’t break this protein down
Lactose pills can help!
Enzymes are highly specific molecules!!
Ex) Pepsin breaks down protein in the stomach
Enzymes function best at certain conditions
• Temperature (too high or low = bad)
• pH (too acidic or too basic = bad)
These conditions are considered optimal for enzyme activity
Enzyme Comic
Design a comic that
shows the function of enzymes