Carbon & Functional groups

Classes of organic molecules: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids

Characteristics of organic compounds depend on the chemistry of carbon

Different variations in carbon skeletons result in different kinds of organic molecules

Organic Compounds: Contain both carbon and hydrogen

Inorganic Compounds: do not contain both carbon and hydrogen.

Carbon forms covalent bonds with a variety of atoms, including single, double, or triple bonds.

4 bonds: number of bonds carbon must form

Carbon can form straight chains, branched chains, and rings.

1 bond: number of bonds hydrogen must form

2 bonds: number of bonds oxygen and sulphur (respectively) must form

3 bonds: Number of bonds nitrogen must form

5 bonds: number of bonds phosphorus must form

Isomers: Molecules with the same chemical formula, but different arrangements of atoms, resulting in different properties.

Hydrocarbon: a compound of hydrogen and carbon in chains/rings/branches

All hydrocarbon bonds are nonpolar and covalent.

Hydrocarbon molecules are nonpolar and hydrophobic.

Functional groups: Side groups that give molecules certain chemical characteristics/properties.

Monomers: small organic molecules (ex. monosaccharides, fatty acids, amino acids, nucleotides) that serve as building blocks

Polymers: Larger organic molecules (ex. carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids) that serve important biological functions.