Exam Preparation: Functional Groups, Macromolecules, and Transport Mechanisms
Functional Groups and Macromolecules
Important Functional Groups
In chemistry, functional groups are specific groups of atoms within molecules that are responsible for the characteristic chemical reactions of those molecules. You should be able to identify these groups from diagrams. The only nonpolar, uncharged group discussed is the ethyl group (comprising two carbons, \text{CH}3\text{CH}2). Its nonpolar nature stems from the absence of oxygen or nitrogen atoms, meaning all electrons are evenly shared. All other functional groups previously mentioned are either charged or have a partial charge. Examples of key functional groups to recognize include:
Amino (\text{-NH}_2)
Carboxyl (\text{-COOH})
Hydroxyl (\text{-OH})
Macromolecule Identification
When studying macromolecules, the focus is on classifying them into broad categories rather than identifying specific molecules by name (e.g., distinguishing glucose from other sugars is not required). You should be able to look at a structure and determine if it is:
A sugar (carbohydrate)
A steroid (lipid)
An amino acid (protein building block)
A nucleotide (nucleic acid building block)
A fatty acid (lipid building block)
Or something else entirely.
Review Resources
To aid in preparation, review worksheets are available. These can be found on your learning platform (e.g.,
Functional groups are specific arrangements of atoms that dictate a molecule's chemical reactions; recognize them visually. The ethyl group (\text{CH}3\text{CH}2) is the only nonpolar, uncharged group discussed, while others such as Amino (\text{-NH}_2), Carboxyl (\text{-COOH}), and Hydroxyl (\text{-OH}) are either charged or partially charged. For macromolecules, focus on classifying them into broad categories by structure (e.g., sugar, steroid, amino acid, nucleotide, fatty acid) rather than identifying specific molecules. Supplementary review worksheets are available on the learning platform.
Functional groups are specific atomic arrangements that determine a molecule's chemical reactions; they should be visually recognizable. The ethyl group (\text{CH}3\text{CH}2) is the only nonpolar, uncharged group among those discussed, while others like Amino (\text{-NH}_2), Carboxyl (\text{-COOH}), and Hydroxyl (\text{-OH}) are either charged or partially charged. For macromolecules, the goal is to classify them into broad categories by structure (e.g., sugar, steroid, amino acid, nucleotide, fatty acid) rather than identifying specific molecules. Review worksheets are available on the learning platform for further help.