CHAPTER 4 STUDY GUIDE ---Carbon & The Molecular Diversity Of Life---

What is meant by "organic compounds"?

- Organic compounds: range from simple molecules such as methane (CH₄) to huge proteins with thousands of atoms.

What are the characteristics of the element carbon that allow it to form the basis for a tremendous variety of complex compounds?

- Carbon: the backbone of biomolecules.

- Electron configuration of carbon gives it covalent compatibility with many elements including H, O, N, and P.

- C-C backbone allows chains of carbon to form compounds that vary by length, shape, and orientation.

What are hydrocarbons? How are they similar to a fatty acid?

- Hydrocarbons: made of only carbon and hydrogen.

- Fatty acids: has a hydrocarbon chain, good fuel.

Explain isomers by describing both structural and cis-trans isomers.

- Isomers: molecules with the same molecular formula but different structures and properties. Includes 2

- Structural isomers: compounds that differ in 3D arrangement of covalent bonds.

- Cis-trans isomers: arrangement of similar atoms but differ around double-bonded carbons (double bond doesn't allow rotation).

What is the significance of isomers as they may relate to the properties of a molecule, using glucose and fructose as examples

- Isomers like glucose and fructose have the same atoms but different structures, making them structural isomers, which changes their properties and reactivity.

What is a functional group, and how can one affect a biomolecule they are part of?

- Functional Group: chemically reactive groups of atoms within an organic molecule that give organic molecules distinctive chemical properties.

- Properties of organic molecules depend on carbon skeleton arrangement and other molecules attached to the skeleton.

Distinguish the characteristics and properties of the functional groups.

- Hydroxyl - OH: Typically forms alcohols and sugars

- Carbonyl - C = O: C double bonded to 0

- Carboxyl - COOH: C is double bonded to O and single bonded to OH

- Amino - NH₂: N is bonded to 2H and a C skeleton

Amino + carboxyl = amino acid

- Sulfhydryl - SH: SH attached to a C skeleton

Part of R group in the amino acid cysteine; can form disulfide bonds

- Phosphate - PO₄: I double-bonded 0 and 3

single bonded 0 to a P that is bonded to a C skeleton