Biology Vocab 3.1-3.3

Organic Compounds

Carbon based molecules

Hydrocarbons

Compounds composed of only carbon and hydrogen

Carbon skeleton

The chain of carbon atoms in an organic molecule — a backbone/structure

Isomers

Compounds with the same formula but different structures  — Differing in positioning of double bonds (a feature that changes the molecule) — The different structures effect the way they link together

Functional groups

Groups of atoms that usually participate in chemical reactions and give specific chemical properties to organics

Hydroxyl groyp

A hydrogen atom bonded to an oxygen atom — makes molecules polar

Carbonyl group

A carbon atom linked by a double bond to an oxygen atom — Typically sugars

Carboxyl group

Carbon double-bonded to an oxygen and a hydroxyl group — acts as an acid by contributing hydrogen and becoming ionized

Carboxylic acids

Compounds with carboxyl groups

Amino group

Nitrogen atom bonded to two hydrogen atoms — acts as a base by picking up hydrogen from a solution

Amines

Organic compounds with an amino group — building blocks of proteins

Phosphate group

Phosphorus atom bonded to four oxygen atoms — Often involved in energy transfer — Usually ionized and attached to the c skeleton

Estradiol

A female sex hormone

Testosterone

A male sex hormone

Single bond

Covalent bond where two atoms share one electron pair (-)

Double bond

Covalent bond where two atoms share two electron pairs (=)

Macromolecules

Large biological molecules made up of smaller units — carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids

Polymers

Long chains of repeated smaller units called monomers

Monomer

Small molecules that link together to form polymers — building blocks of protein

Dehydration reaction/synthesis

Removes a molecule of water; removes hydrogen and hydroxyl from a polymer chain and the two create water (OH-) + (H+) = H2O — After water is taken away, it is now unstable and can join together to make one large polymer

Hydrolosis

Opposite of dehydration; means to break down with water — Transition into two small monomers

Tetrahedron

Object with four triangular slides — Occurs whenever a carbon atom participates in four single bonds

List the four classes of macromolecules

Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids

What kind of charge to all hydrocarbons (C - H) have?

Non-polar

What do the functional groups do?

Help determine the properties of organic compounds

Ball and stick model

Building a polymer chain — One small polymer and another monomer that you want to bond BUT they already have a charge and are fat and happy. SO take a hydroxide from the polymer and a hydrogen from the monomer (dehydration synthesis). Now both of them can link up because you got rid of their charge

Space filling model

The opposite of the ball and stick model — placing water between the bond of the polymer and monomer (hydrolosis)