ORGANIC COMPOUNDS

Biology Notes

I. What is an Organic Compound?

1. Composed of 2 or more CARBON atoms

2. Common elements that form organic molecules:

Carbon (C), Hydrogen (H), Oxygen (O), Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Sulfur (S)

3. May be HYDROPHOBIC (nonpolar)

Or HYDROPHILLIC (polar)

Or both

4. May contain Functional Groups:

reactive part of a molecule that undergoes

predictable reactions

OH (Hydroxyl group,a type of alcohol)

5. Ex. Macromolecules: antifreeze, acetone, diamonds

6. Ex. Fossil fuels: coal, oil, natural gas Energy rich hydrocarbons that are primary source of energy

on Earth

II. Organic Macromolecules

Structure of Macromolecules in Living Things

1. Monomer Units:A molecule that is a single subunit or “building block” that will bond with other molecules to form larger structures.

1. Monomer Units:A molecule that is a single subunit or “building block” that will bond with other molecules to form larger structures.

Ex: = ring = simple

structure sugar

2. Polymers:

Molecules built from 2 or more monomer units

Can be formed by identical or similar monomer units

3. MACROMOLECULES:

Very large carbon structures made up of repeating polymers

100’s of carbon molecules linked together. Ex: Carbs, Lipids, Proteins, Nucleic Acids

III. The Building and Breaking Apart of Macromolecules Organic macromolecules may differ, but they

are ALL assembled and disassembled in the same way

1. Dehydration reactions: LINKS monomer units TOGETHER to make

larger molecules LOSS or PRODUCTION of a WATER

molecule AS A RESULT

Draw this

Dehydration ReactionMonomers

Polymer

2. Hydrolysis Reaction: “to break” Reverse of dehydration ADDITION of WATER to break a larger

molecule apart into smaller monomer units

Big PolymerSmall Monomers

Hydrolysis Reaction

Polymer

Monomers