Biological Macromolecules and Organic Chemistry Vocabulary

Comprehensive practice flashcards covering organic chemistry, monomers, polymers, carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.

Organic Chemistry

The study of chemical compounds that contain bonds with carbon atoms.

Carbon Atom

The element of life containing 4 valence electrons that easily forms single, double, or triple covalent bonds with other elements and carbon atoms in chain or ring structures.

Monomer

A single molecular unit that has the chemical capability to bond with other molecules in a chain to form a polymer.

Polymer

A large molecule formed by a long chain of chemically bonded monomers.

Macromolecules

Large organic molecules composed of thousands of covalently bonded monomers that organisms obtain through food.

Carbohydrates

Organic molecules composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen ($\text{CHO}$) in a 1:2:1 ratio ($(CH_2O)_n$) that function as short-term energy sources and structural support.

Monosaccharide

A simple sugar consisting of a single monomer unit with the general chemical formula $C_6H_{12}O_6$.

Glucose

A monosaccharide sugar that serves as an immediate source of energy for cellular respiration, commonly referred to as blood sugar.

Fructose

A monosaccharide simple sugar naturally found in fruits and honey.

Galactose

A monosaccharide simple sugar found in dairy products and synthesized within the body.

Disaccharide

A carbohydrate composed of 2 monosaccharides chemically joined by a glycosidic bond.

Glycosidic Bond

The covalent bond formed between two monosaccharides in a disaccharide or polysaccharide.

Sucrose

A disaccharide formed by the combination of glucose and fructose, commonly known as table sugar.

Lactose

A disaccharide formed by the combination of galactose and glucose, found in dairy products.

Maltose

A disaccharide composed of two glucose molecules, found in products of starch digestion, malt, and beer.

Polysaccharide

A complex, water-insoluble carbohydrate containing 10 or more monosaccharide units bonded together by glycosidic bonds.

Glycogen

A polysaccharide stored in animal liver and muscle cells that acts as a longer-term glucose energy reserve.

Starch

A glucose polymer used for energy storage in plants and an important source of carbohydrates in the human diet.

Cellulose

A structural polysaccharide that builds cell walls in plants and bacteria, providing strength and flexibility; it is the most abundant organic compound on Earth.

Chitin

A structural polysaccharide used in the cell walls of fungi and the exoskeletons of insects, arthropods, and crustaceans.

Glycoproteins

Important cell membrane molecules composed of carbohydrates bonded to proteins.

Lipids

Biological macromolecules containing carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen ($\text{CHO}$) made of fatty acid and glycerol monomers, serving as long-term energy storage, insulation, and membrane components.

Saturated Fats

Lipids containing only single bonds between carbon atoms; solid at room temperature and typically found in animal fats.

Unsaturated Fats

Lipids containing one or more double bonds between carbon atoms; liquid at room temperature and typically found in plants and fish.

Polyunsaturated Fats

Lipids containing multiple double bonds between carbon atoms that remain liquid at room temperature.

Steroids

Lipids characterized by a four-fused-ring structure that regulate cell membrane fluidity, act as hormones, and alter brain electrical activity.

Waxes

Water-insoluble lipids solid at room temperature that serve as water repellents on leaves, feathers, and insect cuticles, or energy storage in plankton.

Phospholipids

Lipids consisting of a polar hydrophilic head and two non-polar hydrophobic tails that line up to form a cell membrane bilayer.

Proteins

Abundant organic macromolecules composed of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen ($\text{CHON}$) formed by amino acid monomers linked into polypeptides.

Amino Acid

The monomer of proteins, containing an amino group, a carboxyl group, a hydrogen atom, and a unique R group attached to a central carbon.

R Group

The variable side chain on an amino acid that determines its unique chemical properties.

Peptide Bond

The chemical bond that links amino acids together to form a polypeptide chain.

Polypeptide

A polymer of proteins consisting of a chain of multiple amino acids linked by peptide bonds.

Protein Organizational Levels

The 4 levels of protein structure: Primary (sequence of amino acids), Secondary (folding of polypeptide chain), Tertiary (3D arrangement of polypeptide chain), and Quaternary (association of two or more polypeptides).

Nucleic Acids

Macromolecules containing carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorous ($\text{CHONP}$) that store, transmit, and express genetic information.

Nucleotide

The monomer of nucleic acids, consisting of a 5-carbon sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base.

DNA

A double-stranded nucleic acid located inside the nucleus containing deoxyribose sugar that stores and transfers genetic information.

RNA

A single-stranded nucleic acid containing ribose sugar that forms in the nucleus, travels to the cytoplasm, and directly codes for amino acids.

Central Dogma of Biology

The core framework describing how genetic information flows from DNA to RNA to synthesize a protein.