The 4 groups of organic compounds found in living things are carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.

Organic = contains carbon

Examples of the different compounds:

Carbohydrates (sugars, starch)

Examples: glycogen, starch, various sugars (-ose)

Made up of: monosaccharides (single sugars)

Lipids

Examples: fats, oils, waxes

Made up of glycerol and 3 fatty acids

Proteins

Examples: collagen, keratin, enzymes

Made up of: amino acids

Nucleic Acids

Examples: DNA, RNA

Made up of: nucleotides

🍞 Carbohydrates

A carbohydrate is characterized by the presence of a H-C-OH group, in which the ratio of Hydrogen (H) atoms to Oxygen (O) atoms is ~2:1.

Monosaccharide - simple sugars having only one unit. These are the building blocks of a larger carbohydrate.

Examples: glucose, ribose, fructose

Disaccharides - 2 monosaccharides joined together

Examples: sucrose

Polysaccharides - many monosaccharide units

❗ Excess sugar in living organisms is stored as polysaccharides.

Cellulose - found only in plants, this carbohydrate gives strength and rigidity to plants/trees (paper)

🍗Lipids

Lipids (fats/oils) also called triglycerides.

Lipids are water-insoluble substances found in both plants and animals.

Fats are solid at room temperature.

Oils are liquid at room temperature.

A fat is formed when one mole of glycerol bonds with 3 fatty acids (DEHYDRATION SYNTHESIS.

Dehydration Synthesis - 2 hydrogen and an oxygen are removed, this makes allows the substances to combine with each other.

Carboxyl group Lipids are used as a long-term storage of energy as well as warmth and cushioning.

Examples of fatty acids.

Unsaturated fats are better for you than saturated fats as they can be broken down easier.

Major difference between the two types: saturated fats are “saturated” with plenty of hydrogen.

❗ In order for a fat to be considered unsaturated it only needs to include one unsaturated fatty acids, on the other hand for it to be considered saturated it can only include fatty acids.

Other Types of Lipids

• Steroids/hormones (testosterone/estrogen)

• Soap (fatty acids attached to an inorganic base)

• Phospholipids
  

Proteins

Contain C, H, O, and N (nitrogen) CHON

Made up of amino acids.

R = radical group. There are 20 different amino acids important to the body. 9 of the 20 are essential amino acids, while the others can be made with these other amino acids.

Examples of Proteins:

Collagen - makes your skin elastic-like.

Keratin - makes up fingernails, hair, and hooves.

Hemoglobin - carries oxygen CO₂ in red blood cells.

Amino Acids

Amino acids join together by forming a covalent bond called a peptide bond.

Enzymes

Catalyst - a substance that speeds up a chemical reaction.

Enzyme - catalysts found in living organisms

Enzymes break downs substrates down into products without being used up in the process.

• Enzymes are very specific

• Enzymes are proteins

• Enzymes work best at optimal temperatures and pH levels.

• Heat denatures (destroys) enzymes.

• Enzymes regulate life processes.

Nucleic Acids

Contain C, H, O, N, and P (phosphorus)

Made up of nucleotides.

Help the body store and retain information and characteristics. We need to continue consuming foods with nucleic acids to provide our bodies with the ability to use this.

Examples:

RNA - ribose sugar and A, U, G, C

DNA - deoxyribose sugar and A, T, G, C