AP Review Organic Compounds

Organic Molecules

Molecules that contain carbon atoms bonded to other carbon atoms.

Carbohydrates

One of the four types of organic compounds composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

Proteins

One of the four types of organic compounds composed of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and sometimes sulfur.

Lipids

One of the four types of organic compounds composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

Nucleic Acids

One of the four types of organic compounds composed of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorus.

Hydrocarbon

An organic molecule consisting only of carbon and hydrogen.

Functional Group

A small, specific group of atoms that can be attached to a carbon skeleton, giving the molecule its unique properties.

Hydroxyl Group (-OH)

A functional group found in sugar molecules that makes them very polar.

Carbonyl Group (-C=O)

A functional group found in sugar molecules that makes them very polar.

Carboxyl Group (-COOH)

A functional group found in proteins and lipids that has acidic properties and makes molecules very polar.

Amino Group (-NH2 or -NH3+)

A functional group found in all amino acids.

Sulfhydryl Group (-SH)

A functional group found in the amino acid cysteine that forms disulfide bridges in proteins.

Phosphate Group (-PO4)

A functional group found in phospholipids, DNA, RNA, and ATP.

Monosaccharides

The building blocks of carbohydrates, consisting of simple sugars like glucose.

Glycerol

A 3-carbon compound with hydroxyl groups on each carbon, recognized as a building block of lipids.

Fatty Acids

The building blocks of lipids, characterized by a long carbon skeleton with a carboxyl group at one end.

Amino Acids

The building blocks of proteins, consisting of a carbon atom bonded to a carboxyl group, an amino group, a single hydrogen, and an "R" group.

Nitrogenous Base

A ringed structure with alternating carbon and nitrogen, found in nucleic acids.

Purines

Nitrogen bases with two rings, specifically adenine and guanine.

Pyrimidines

Nitrogen bases with one ring, specifically cytosine and thymine.

Macromolecules

"Giant" molecules formed by the joining of many smaller molecules.

Polymer

A long molecule consisting of many similar or identical building blocks linked together by covalent bonds.

Monomers

Smaller molecules that are the repeating subunits that make up polymers.

Glycosidic Linkage

A covalent bond formed between two monosaccharides by a dehydration reaction.

Starch

A storage polysaccharide in plants, formed by many glucose molecules bonded together.

Glycogen

A storage polysaccharide in animals, formed by many glucose molecules bonded together in the liver.

Cellulose

A structural polysaccharide that forms the tough, fibrous material in plant cell walls.

Chitin

A structural polysaccharide used by arthropods for exoskeletons and by fungi in their cell walls.

Lipids

A group of organic compounds that are nonpolar and not soluble in polar solvents like water.

Saturated Fatty Acid

A fatty acid that contains no carbon-to-carbon double bonds and has the maximum number of hydrogen atoms.

Unsaturated Fatty Acid

A fatty acid that contains one or more carbon-to-carbon double bonds, resulting in "kinks" in the tail.

Phospholipids

A type of lipid that has two fatty acid tails and is a structural component of membranes.

Peptide Bond

A covalent bond formed by a dehydration reaction that links the carboxyl group of one amino acid to the amino group of another.

Polypeptide

A chain of amino acids held together by peptide bonds, not yet a fully functioning protein.

Primary Structure

The unique sequence of amino acids in a protein.

Secondary Structure

The initial folding and shaping of a polypeptide due to hydrogen bonds.

Tertiary Structure

The irregular contortions of a protein due to bonding between side chains, giving the protein its shape.

Quaternary Structure

The combination of two or more polypeptide subunits to form a functional protein.

Denatured Protein

A protein that has lost its unique 3-D shape and is inactive.

Nucleic Acids

Biological macromolecules composed of nucleotides, including DNA and RNA.