Carbon and Organic Molecules – AP Biology Notes (Video)

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering key terms from the lecture notes on carbon-based organic molecules, isomers, monomers/polymers, reactions, and the four major macromolecules.

Carbon-based compounds

Organic molecules; compounds that contain carbon and make up most of the cell’s structure besides water.

Organic molecules

Any carbon-containing compound.

Hydrocarbons

Organic compounds consisting only of carbon and hydrogen; many cellular molecules have C–H regions and reactions release energy.

Lipids

A class of organic molecules rich in hydrocarbons (fats, oils) used for energy storage and membrane structure.

Structural isomers

Isomers with the same chemical formula but different arrangement of atoms.

Cis-trans isomers

Geometric isomers differing in the orientation of functional groups around a double bond or ring.

Enantiomers

Mirror-image isomers that are non-superimposable.

Functional groups

Specific groups of atoms attached to a carbon skeleton that participate in chemical reactions.

Monomer

A molecule that can chemically bond with others to form polymers.

Polymer

A long chain made of repeating monomer units.

Dehydration reaction

A condensation reaction where two monomers bond with the loss of a water molecule.

Hydrolysis

The process of breaking polymers into monomers by the addition of water.

Carbohydrates

One of the four major macromolecules; includes sugars and starches; lactose is an example.

Nucleic Acids

Macromolecules that store and transmit genetic information; include DNA and RNA; bases include adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine (DNA), uracil (RNA).

Proteins

Macromolecules composed of amino acids that perform a wide range of cellular functions.

Lipids (as macromolecules)

Hydrophobic macromolecules (fats, oils, phospholipids) built largely from hydrocarbons; not true polymers but key macromolecules.

Adenine

A purine nucleobase found in DNA and RNA; pairs with thymine in DNA and with uracil in RNA.

Guanine

A purine nucleobase that pairs with cytosine in both DNA and RNA.

Cytosine

A pyrimidine nucleobase that pairs with guanine.

Thymine

A pyrimidine nucleobase in DNA that pairs with adenine.

Uracil

A pyrimidine nucleobase in RNA that pairs with adenine.

Lactose

A disaccharide carbohydrate composed of glucose and galactose; example of carbohydrate.