AP Biology: Unit 1.2

EQ: why is carbon the "backbone" of biochemicals?

Carbon

• has 4 valence electrons. 6 in periodic table

• the smallest in periodic table: can form variety of molecules

• living organisms are made from carbon

4 ways carbon skeletons vary:

1) length

2) branching

3) double bond position (=)

4) presence of rings

3 types of isomers

1) structural

2) geometric

3) enantiomers

carbon compounds and life (biomolecules- important to life)

• carbohydrate

• lipid

• protein (most varied functions)

• nucleic acid

polymers

long molecule consisting of many similar building blocks

monomer

building block molecules

dehydration synthesis reaction

occurs when 2 monomers covalently bond together through the loss of water molecule

hydrolysis

water is getting broken down

monosaccharides

simplest carbohydrates/ simple sugar (multitudes of CH2O)

disaccharides

formed when dehydration synthesis reaction joins 2 monosaccharides

glycosiclic linkage

covalent bond

polysaccharides

polymers of sugars, have storage and structure roles

• structure and function determined by sugar monomers and positions of its glycosidic linkages

monoccarciades

monomers of carbs