Organic Chemistry: Monomers and Polymers

A comprehensive set of flashcards summarizing key concepts related to organic chemistry, including monomers, polymers, biomolecules, carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.

What are the four important biomolecules?

Carbohydrates, Lipids, Proteins, Nucleic Acids.

What are biomolecules made of?

Macromolecules composed of monomer subunits.

What do identical monomers combine to form?

Polymers.

What elements do organic molecules typically contain?

Hydrogen (H), Carbon (C), and usually Oxygen (O).

What determines the chemistry of organic molecules?

Functional groups.

Name a functional group found in amino acids.

Amino group.

What is the ratio of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in carbohydrates?

1:2:1.

What are isomers?

Molecules with the same molecular formula but different structures.

What are the three categories of carbohydrates?

Monosaccharides, Disaccharides, Polysaccharides.

What are monosaccharides?

Simple sugars containing 3 to 7 carbon atoms.

Give an example of a hexose sugar.

Glucose.

What is sucrose composed of?

Glucose and fructose.

What are the two components of lactose?

Glucose and galactose.

What is the role of cellulose in the diet?

Provides roughage.

What is the function of lipids?

Structure of cells and energy reserves.

What is the carbon to hydrogen ratio in lipids?

1:2.

Why are most lipids hydrophobic?

They are insoluble in water.

What are fatty acids?

Long chains of carbon and hydrogen with a carboxyl group at one end.

What characterizes saturated fatty acids?

Contains only single bonds in the hydrocarbon tail.

What type of fatty acids has one or more double bonds?

Unsaturated fatty acids.

What are eicosanoids derived from?

The fatty acid called arachidonic acid.

What are triglycerides?

Glycerol plus three fatty-acid tails.

What are steroids?

Four-ringed carbon structures with functional groups.

What is the function of glycerides?

Serve as energy source, insulation, and protection.

What is the structural composition of phospholipids?

A diglyceride attached to a phosphate group.

What are proteins primarily made of?

Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen.

How many amino acids are there?

20 amino acids.

What are the seven major functions of proteins?

Support, Movement, Transport, Buffering, Metabolic Regulation, Coordination and Control, Defense.

What forms when two amino acids link together?

A peptide bond.

What shape do primary and secondary protein structures have?

Primary: sequence of amino acids; Secondary: spirals or pleats.

What are enzymes?

Proteins that lower the activation energy of chemical reactions.

What is a cofactor?

An ion or molecule that binds to an enzyme before substrates can bind.

What effect does temperature have on enzyme function?

Enzymes work best at specific temperatures.

What is denaturation?

Change in shape and loss of function due to heat or pH.

What are glycoproteins?

Combinations of proteins and carbohydrates.

What is the function of nucleic acids?

Store and process information.

What determines inherited characteristics in nucleic acids?

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA).

What are the two types of nucleic acids?

DNA and RNA.

What two sugars are part of the nucleic acid structure?

Deoxyribose and ribose.

What base does RNA have that DNA does not?

Uracil.

How are DNA strands held together?

Hydrogen bonds between opposing nitrogenous bases.

What is the significance of ATP?

It is a high-energy compound with three phosphate groups.

What is phosphorylation?

The process of adding a phosphate group to another molecule.