Organic Compounds Flashcards

Flashcards covering key concepts about organic compounds, including carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.

What are the four main classes of organic compounds?

Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids

What is Carbon's role in organic molecules?

The building block of living things, comprising 18% of the body by weight, and forms four covalent bonds.

What is a monomer?

A type of molecule that can chemically bond with other molecules in a long chain.

What is a polymer?

A chain of an unspecified number of monomers.

Which Organic Molcules are composed of monomers and polymers?

Carbohydrates, proteins, and nucleic acids.

What happens during dehydration synthesis?

Removes the equivalent of a water molecule to link molecular units and requires energy.

What happens during hydrolysis?

Adds the equivalent of a water molecule to break apart macromolecules and releases energy.

What are functional groups?

Collections of atoms that attach to the carbon skeleton of an organic molecule and provide specific properties.

What are some examples of functional groups and the organic molecules they're associated with?

Hydroxyl (in carbohydrates), carbonyl (in lipids), carboxyl and amino (in proteins), and phosphate(in DNA,ATP).

What are the functions of carbohydrates?

Basic energy source (fuel), fuel reserve molecules (e.g., starch, glycogen), and structural molecules.

Give two examples of 5 carbon Monosaccharides:

Ribose and deoxyribose.

Name three 6-carbon monosaccharides:

Glucose, fructose, and galactose.

Give three examples of disaccharides and their monosaccharide components:

Sucrose (glucose and fructose), lactose (glucose and galactose), and maltose (glucose and glucose).

What type of bond forms when two monosaccharides join in a dehydration reaction?

A glycosidic linkage.

Name three examples of polysaccharides:

Starch, glycogen, and cellulose.

What is Fibre?

Substances that are insoluble and cannot be broken down by digestion, providing essential fiber for healthy digestion.

What are the main functions of lipids?

Energy storage, major component of cell membranes (phospholipids), fuel reserve molecules, protective surface coatings/insulation, and important in hormone production

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What are the four classes of Lipids?

Triglycerides, steroids, phospholipids, and glycolipids.

What is the function of triglycerides?

Energy storage.

How do steroids benefit the body?

Helps determine and control the structure of the plasma membrane.

What role do phosopholipids play?

They play a key role in composing/ constituting cell membranes.

Describe a saturated Fatty Acid

straight molecule (solid at room temperature).

Describe an unsaturated Fatty Acid

carbon to carbon double bond, crooked (cant form solid structures)

Why should one avoid saturated fats?

raises levels of cholesterol

What is hydrogenation? What fat does it produce?

It is when unsaturated fat gets partly saturated with Hydrogen and Bonds change position, making trans fat

What is the function of a phospholipid?

Primary component of cell membranes

What are some examples of steroids?

Cholesterol, hormones, estrogen, and testosterone.