Organic Molecules

L.E.Q. What are the four main biological molecules?

The Chemistry of Living Things

Organic compounds – contain Carbon

And Hydrogen

Inorganic compounds – do not

Carbon is an ideal Building Block

Carbon is able to bond to itself and

other elements to form large

molecules.

Organic molecules are usually large. How

are they made?

Monomer – a small, repeating unit

(molecule)

Polymer – many monomers bonded

together.

Macromolecule.

A large molecule

How do Monomers form Polymers?

Dehydration Synthesis Dehydration means to take water out

When monomers bond together they lose a water

molecule

Since many organic

molecules have the

elements oxygen and

hydrogen in them,

this isn’t hard to do.

The purple dots represent

Carbon atoms

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYH63o10iTE time 4:14

The 4 Types of Biological (Organic)

Molecules

Carbohydrates

Lipids

Nucleic Acids

Proteins

Carbohydrates

Structure (contain what elements?)

C, H, and O

They are found in a ratio of 1C : 2H : 1O

Monosaccharide Single sugars (one molecule)

Examples are glucose and fructose (C6H12O6)

Monomer of Carbohydrates (or the Building Blocks)

glucose

Fruit sugar found in many plants Found in plants and animals

Double Sugar Made of two monosaccharides

Most common disaccharide is sucrose (glucose+fructose)

Found in plant sap

We use it to make table sugar

Lactose is the sugar present in milk.

HONORS

Carbohydrates - Disaccharides

Carbohydrates- What is their Function?

Primary Energy Source Glucose is a simple sugar that our body uses

as its main source of fuel

Carbohydrates- What is their Function?

Storage of Energy Carbohydrates can also be stored away for later use.

Examples

Starch

oPlants store food in the form of starch

Carbohydrates- What is their Function?

Storage of Energy Another Example

Glycogen o Humans store glycogen in their liver.

o This can be converted to energy when needed

Carbohydrates- What is their Function?

Structural – serves as building material in plants and other organisms.

- many monosaccharide's bonded together – a polysaccharide

EXAMPLES Cellulose

building material of plant

cell walls

Chitin Forms cell walls in fungi

(mushrooms) and the

exoskeleton of arthropods

Structure They are not made up of monomers they are

simply one monomer

Has many carbon – hydrogen bonds.

Lipids

There are many

Hydrocarbons

C-C-C-C-C-

Carbons with hydrogen

bonded to them

Lipids

Many Lipids are NOT soluble in water.

Meaning – they do not dissolve in water

Oil and water

don’t mix

They are non-polar

molecules.

• Remember water

is polar, so other

polar molecules

will dissolve in

water

Groups of Lipids – Fats Saturated Lipids: every carbon

atom contains the most # of

hydrogens that it can.

Contained in animal products.

Solid at room temp.

Unsaturated Lipids:

there is at least 1 double

bond bet. carbon atoms.

Plant oils.

Liquid at room temp.

FYI – Trans Fats

Function of Fats

Energy reserves carbohydrates give short term energy storage

(carbs can be turned into fats)

Lipids give LONG term energy storage

Source of energy in

hibernating animals

Protective

cushion and

insulator

Lipids - Phospholipids

Function as parts of cell membranes

form the bilayer that make up cell membranes.

Serves as a boundary between the cell and the

environment

Are soluble in water

Lipids - Steroids Include Cholesterol and Sex Hormones

Cholesterol is a component of cell membranes and helps

keep them fluid

Sex hormones include testosterone and estrogen

Made up of Nucleotides

These monomers are repeated many times

Each Nucleotide consists of

5-Carbon sugar

Phosphate Group

Nitrogen containing Base

Nucleic Acid –Structure

Contains

C, H, N, O and

Phosphorus

Nucleic Acids- Function

Carries Genetic information

Examples are DNA (deoxyribonucleic

acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid)

Proteins Proteins are instrumental in almost everything

organisms do! (in Greek protein means “first place”)

Also called polypeptides

Protein - Structure

Monomers (Building Blocks)

Amino Acids Consists of

C, H, O, and N

Many amino acids are folded into a

unique 3 dimensional shape.

Protein Structure

honors a) Primary – the

sequence of the

amino acids

b) Secondary- the

forming of

hydrogen bonds

c) Tertiary – the

three dimensional

structure

d) Quaternary –

three dimensional

structure when the

protein has multiple

units

Protein - Functions Structural proteins – for support

Making webs. Keratin is the protein of hair, horns and feathers

Storage proteins

Egg white is the amino acid source for the developing embryo

Plants have storage proteins in their seeds

Transport Proteins

Hemoglobin, transports oxygen in the blood.

Hormonal proteins

Insulin helps regulate the concentration of sugar in the blood

Defensive proteins

Antibodies combat bacteria and viruses

Enzymatic Proteins are probably the most important type of protein

Enzymes regulate metabolism by speeding up chemical reactions.

Protein -Function

ENZYMES

proteins that act as catalysts to speed up chemical

reactions

Catalyst – a substance that enables a chemical reaction to

proceed at a usually faster rate.

The enzyme is not consumed in the reaction and can be

used over and over.

Chemical Reactions If enzymes speed up chemical reactions, lets review what a chemical reaction is.

Chemical Reaction - a process that changes, or transforms, one set of chemicals into another. Chemical Reactions are going on in your body all the time.

Parts of a Chemical Reaction

Reactants

The elements or compounds that enter into a chemical reaction

C6H12O6 + 6O2 6CO2 + 6H2O + useable energy

Glucose and Oxygen are the reactants

Parts of a Chemical Reaction

Products

The elements or compounds produced by a chemical reaction.

C6H12O6 + 6O2 6CO2 + 6H2O + useable energy

Carbon dioxide, water, and energy are the products

The arrow stands for produce

Types of Reactions

Physical Reaction

A physical reaction does not

produce a new substance.

The substance just changes its

state, like solid to liquid. May

change its size or shape

Example: Ice melting

Chemical Reaction

A chemical reaction produces

a new substance. Something

that wasn’t there before.

Clues a chemical reaction

took place.

Heat, light, colors, gas, and

smells can be produced.

Examples:

Cooking, burning

Protein - Enzymes How Enzymes Function

Substrate – the “reactants” . These bind to the

enzyme

Active Site – where the “reactants” bind to the enzyme

Products – what is formed during the reaction There are many different enzymes, but each one will only fit one substrate. Like a

lock and key.

The enzyme speeds up the reaction and forms the Products.

Protein – Enzyme Functions Enzymes require specific conditions to function normally

Factors that affect enzyme function

Heat

pH

If it gets too hot, or the pH changes, then the structure

of the enzyme is affected and the reaction can’t take

place.

The enzyme is Denatured

Examples of Enzymes

Enzyme names usually end in ase

Lactase is an enzyme found in the intestine and helps break down lactose (a

milk sugar) into other simple sugars.

What happens if you lack this enzyme? Lactose will travel to the large intestine and

produce gas (which can be very uncomfortable)

Catalase is an enzyme found in red blood cells. It breaks down hydrogen peroxide into

water and oxygen. Too much hydrogen peroxide is toxic and people who cannot break it

down can develop infections. It can also lead to cancer.

Monomers of Organic Molecules Organic Molecule Monomer

Carbohydrate Monosaccharide

Nucleic Acid Nucleotide

Protein Amino acid