Organic Compounds: Carbohydrates and Lipids

A complete set of vocabulary flashcards covering organic chemistry concepts, carbohydrates, and lipids directly from the lecture notes.

Organic compound

A compound containing carbon and hydrogen, with an emphasis on carbon.

Monomer

The smallest type of bond.

Carbohydrates

Molecules made from plants that serve as the main source of energy in living things, composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in a $1:2:1$ ratio.

Monosaccharides

Carbohydrates composed of one sugar, such as glucose, fructose, and galactose.

Disaccharides

Carbohydrates made up of 2 sugars bonded together.

Dehydration synthesis

The process where 2 monosaccharides bond together when 1 water leaves with 1 oxygen.

Alpha linkage

A bond between sugars where the oxygen faces downward, found in foods like potatoes and rice.

Beta linkage

A bond between sugars where the oxygen faces upward, making it harder to digest.

Oligosaccharides

Carbohydrates that have between 3 and 10 sugars and contain many beta bonds, keeping you full for longer.

Polysaccharides

Carbohydrates consisting of 10 or more sugars that take longer to digest into the bloodstream than disaccharides.

Amylose

A healthier form of starch consisting of an unbranched chain of glucose.

Amylopectin

A less healthy form of starch consisting of a chain of glucose with many branches.

Fiber

A plant structural substance with many beta bonds that creates satiety without a lot of calories and aids digestion.

Glycogen

The highly branched form of glucose storage in humans and animals that breaks down quickly to enter the bloodstream.

Chitin

A structural carbohydrate in fungi, insects, and fish that is similar to plant cellulose and aids the digestive and immune systems.

Lipids

Nonpolar compounds made of fatty acids that are insoluble in water.

Fats

Lipids that are solid at room temperature, having tighter bonds and breaking down slowly.

Oils

Lipids that are liquid at room temperature, having looser bonds and breaking down faster than fats.

Saturated fatty acid

A fatty acid with no double bonds, found in foods like cheese and cake.

Unsaturated fatty acid

A fatty acid containing double bonds, resulting in a lower melting point and easier breakdown.

Hydrogenation

The process of converting an unsaturated fatty acid into a saturated fat.

Partial hydrogenation

The process of converting a cis fat into a trans fat.

Cis fat

An unsaturated fat where hydrogen atoms are on the same side and the molecule bends, preventing bonds from stacking.

Trans fat

An unsaturated fat where hydrogen atoms are on opposite sides and the molecule is not bent, making it less healthy.

Phospholipids

Molecules consisting of a hydrophilic head and a hydrophobic tail that form the bilayer of cell membranes.

Emulsifier

A substance that allows polar and nonpolar substances to mix together, such as eggs.

Bile

A substance in the body that breaks down fat in the digestive system.

Lecithin

A substance that transports fats through the bloodstream to ensure they reach their target destination without premature absorption.

Sterols

Compounds naturally produced in humans and animals (like cholesterol) that create steroids and are important for cell membrane structure, hormones, and vitamin D.