Lecture Notes on Organic Compounds, Lipids, Proteins, and Nucleic Acids

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to organic compounds, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids as outlined in the provided lecture notes.

Organic Compounds

Any substance that contains both carbon and hydrogen.

Macromolecule

A large molecule made up of smaller repeating units known as monomers.

Dehydration Synthesis

The process where monomers are covalently bonded together, releasing water.

Hydrolysis

The process of breaking down polymers into monomers by adding water.

Carbohydrates

Organic compounds made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, primarily serving as energy sources.

Monosaccharides

The simplest form of carbohydrates, consisting of single sugar molecules.

Disaccharides

Carbohydrates formed by the combination of two monosaccharides.

Polysaccharides

Complex carbohydrates formed from long chains of monosaccharides.

Glycogen

The principal storage polysaccharide in animals.

Cellulose

A polysaccharide found in plant cell walls, providing structural support.

Lipids

Hydrophobic organic compounds that are insoluble in water, including fats and oils.

Triglycerides

A type of lipid made of glycerol and three fatty acids, used for energy storage.

Saturated Fatty Acids

Fatty acids that have no double bonds between carbon atoms, fully saturated with hydrogen.

Unsaturated Fatty Acids

Fatty acids that contain one or more double bonds between carbon atoms.

Phospholipid

A lipid consisting of glycerol, two fatty acids, and a phosphate group, forming cell membranes.

Steroids

A class of lipids characterized by a carbon skeleton consisting of four fused rings.

Proteins

Organic molecules composed of amino acids that serve various functions in organisms.

Amino Acids

The monomers that make up proteins, linked together by peptide bonds.

Enzymes

Proteins that act as catalysts to accelerate chemical reactions.

Nucleic Acids

Biomolecules, RNA and DNA, that carry genetic information.

Nucleotide

The monomer unit of nucleic acids, composed of a sugar, phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base.

Replication

The process of making an identical copy of DNA.

Transcription

The process of synthesizing RNA from a DNA template.

Translation

The process of synthesizing proteins using the information carried by RNA.