Carbon Compounds and Their Role in Life

Carbon Compounds

Living organisms consist mostly of carbon-based compounds.

Organic Compound

A compound containing carbon.

Macromolecules

Large molecules formed from smaller units called monomers.

Covalent Bonds

Bonds formed when atoms share electrons.

Methane

A molecular formula of CH4.

Ethane

A molecular formula of C2H6.

Ethene (ethylene)

A molecular formula of C2H4.

Hydrocarbons

Organic molecules consisting of only carbon and hydrogen.

Functional Groups

Components of organic molecules commonly involved in chemical reactions.

Hydroxyl Group

A functional group represented as -OH, found in alcohols like ethanol.

Carbonyl Group

A functional group represented as C=O, found in ketones and aldehydes.

Carboxyl Group

A functional group represented as -COOH, found in carboxylic acids like acetic acid.

Amino Group

A functional group represented as -NH2, found in amines like glycine.

Sulfhydryl Group

A functional group represented as -SH, found in thiols like cysteine.

Phosphate Group

A functional group represented as -OPO3^2-, found in organic phosphates.

Methyl Group

A functional group represented as -CH3, found in methylated compounds.

Monosaccharides

The simplest carbohydrates, with molecular formulas usually multiples of CH2O.

Disaccharides

Formed when a dehydration reaction joins two monosaccharides.

Glycosidic Linkage

The covalent bond formed between two monosaccharides.

Polysaccharides

Polymers of sugars with storage and structural roles.

Starch

A storage polysaccharide of plants, consisting entirely of glucose monomers.

Glycogen

A storage polysaccharide in animals, primarily stored in liver and muscle cells.

Cellulose

A major component of the tough wall of plant cells, a polymer of glucose.

Chitin

A structural polysaccharide found in the exoskeleton of arthropods and cell walls of fungi.

Dehydration Reaction

A process where two monomers bond together through the loss of a water molecule.

Hydrolysis

The process of breaking down polymers to monomers, essentially the reverse of dehydration.

Energy Storage in Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates have more free energy than CO2 due to their C-H and C-C bonds.

Free Energy in Fatty Acids

Fatty acids have even more free energy than carbohydrates due to a higher ratio of C-H and C-C bonds.

Carbon valence

Carbon has a valence of 4, allowing it to form four covalent bonds.

Glucose

The most common monosaccharide, with the formula C6H12O6.

Energy sources for organisms

Monosaccharides serve as a major fuel for cells and as raw material for building molecules.

α and β glucose

Refers to the contrasting orientations of the C-2 hydroxyls in glucose molecules.

Amylase

An enzyme that hydrolyzes starch.

Phosphorylase

An enzyme that hydrolyzes glycogen.

Cellulase

An enzyme that breaks down cellulose, which animal cells do not contain.