Organic compounds- carbon-based molecules

functional groups- the groups of atoms directly involved in chemical reactions

macromolecules- large molecules; carbohydrates, proteins, and nucleic acids

monomers- a molecule that can be bonded to other identical molecules to form a polymer

polymers- macromolecules made by stringing together many smaller molecules called
monomers

dehydration reaction- links two monomers together and removes a molecule of water

hydrolysis- the breakdown of polymers by adding water to them

4 large biological molecules in living things- carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids

Carbohydrates- sugars and polymers of sugar

Monosaccharides- the monomers of carbohydrates and cannot be broken down into smaller sugars

isomers- molecules that have the same molecular formula but different
structures

disaccharide- constructed from two monosaccharides by a dehydration reaction

Polysaccharides- complex carbohydrates and are made of long chains of sugars—polymers of
monosaccharides.
Starch- consists of long strings of glucose monomers and is used by plant cells to store energy.

Glycogen- used by animal cells to store energy and is broken down to release glucose when you need energy.
Cellulose- the most abundant organic compound on Earth; forms cable-like fibrils in the tough walls that enclose plant cells and cannot be broken by any enzyme produced by animals

hydrophilic (“water-loving”)- molecules that dissolve easily in water

hydrophobic(lipids)- unable to mix with water

fat (triglyceride)- a glycerol molecule joined with three fatty acid molecules via a
dehydration reaction

function of fats- energy storage, cushioning, and insulation

unsaturated fat- has fewer than the maximum number of hydrogens

saturated fat- has the maximum number of hydrogens
Hydrogenation- adds hydrogen, converts unsaturated fats to saturated fats, makes liquid fats solid at room temperature, and creates trans fats

trans fats- type of unsaturated fat that is particularly bad for your health
Cholesterol- a key component of cell membranes and the “base steroid” from which your body produces other steroids, such as estrogen and testosterone
Proteins- polymers of amino acid monomers, account for more than 50% of the dry weight of most cells, and are instrumental in almost everything cells do

amino acid- consists of a central carbon atom bonded to four covalent partners

peptide bonds- Cells link amino acids together by dehydration reactions
polypeptides- long chains of amino acids

Nucleic acids- macromolecules that store information and provide the instructions for building proteins

2 types of nucleic acids- DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid)

DNA- sugar is deoxyribose; double stranded

RNA- sugar is ribose; has an uracil base instead of thymine; single stranded

gene- a unit of inheritance encoded in a specific stretch of D N A that programs the amino acid sequence of a polypeptide

nucleotides- a monomer in nucleic acids

3 parts to a nucleotide- a 5 carbon sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogen containing base

4 possible nitrogenous bases- Adenine, Guanine, Thymine, or Cytosine

double helix- A molecule of cellular D N A that is double-stranded

functional group pairings- A only goes with T, and C only goes with G