LIFE 102: Chemical Building Blocks of Life (Carbon)

What is an organic molecule?

Carbon based molecules

What are the advantages to using carbon as a building block for organic molecules?

Carbon can form four bonds with other elements

Examples of variations in the carbon skeleton

Length, branching, double bond position, presence of rings

What is the difference between 1-butene and 2-butene?

1-butene has a double bond between the first and second carbon atoms while 2-butene has a double bond between the second and third carbon atoms

What is the difference between butane and isobutane?

Butane is a straight structure while isobutane is branched

What are the functional properties of hydroxyl groups?

Hydrophilic, forms hydrogen bonds

What are the functional properties of carbonyl groups?

Influences reactivity in carbohydrates and nucleic acids

What are the functional properties of amino groups?

Charged and basic

What are the functional properties of sulfhydryl groups?

Helps stabilize protein structures

What are the functional properties of phosphate groups?

Charged and acidic, aids in stability of certain molecules

What are the functional properties of carboxyl groups?

Charged and acidic

What are the functional properties of methyl groups?

Hydrophobic, acts as a recognizable tag on biological molecules like DNA

What side group is this?

Hydroxyl

What side group is this?

Carbonyl

What side group is this?

Carboxyl

What side group is this?

Amino

What side group is this?

Sulfhydryl

What side group is this?

Phosphate

What side group is this?

Methyl

Which side groups can function as an acid?

Carboxyl and phosphate

Which side groups can function as a base?

Amino

What is an isomer?

Molecules that share an atomic composition but have different structures and properties

Example of structural isomers

Butane and isobutane

Example of cis-trans isomers

2-Butene

Example of enantiomers

Ibuprofen