1. Organic versus Inorganic
A powerpoint presentation about different molecules.

2. Molecules Definitions:
Organic molecules: relating or belonging to the class of chemical compounds having a carbon basis.
"hydrocarbons are organic compounds"
Examples of organic molecules:
Proteins
Carbohydrates
Lipids
Nucleic acids

3. Inorganic molecules
Inorganic molecule: A chemical compound that does not contain carbon AND hydrogen. (CO2 not organic).
Water (most important inorganic molecule)
Salts
Minerals
Vitamins

4. Dehydration synthesis and hydrolysis.
Organic molecules are very complex, and are made up of smaller subunits.
Because of this, we call proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and nucleic acids POLYMERS. That means that they are all made up of repeating subunits.
The subunits of polymers are called MONOMERS.
Remember, the prefix “poly” means many, and the prefix “mono” means one.

5. Dehydration Synthesis
Monomers are connected together to form polymers by a process called dehydration synthesis.
The general equation is:
Monomer + Monomer  polymer (a dimer) + water.

6. Dehydration synthesis cont.
This is a synthesis reaction because simple molecules are being joined together to form a more complex one.
This is called dehydration synthesis because the reaction forms water as one of it’s products.
After our food is digested into its monomers, our bodies reconnect them to form the proteins, carbs and lipids that make up our bodies and allow us to maintain homeostasis.

7. Hydrolysis
Hydrolysis is the process in which polymers are broken down into monomers.
The general equation is:
Polymer (dimer) + Water  monomer + monomer.

8. Hydrolysis cont.
This is called hydrolysis because water (hydro) is being used to break (or lyse) a molecule.
Hydrolysis is the process by which we digest our food into smaller molecules that our body can use.

9. In conclusion
Hydrolysis and dehydration synthesis are considered biochemical pathway, because the products of one reaction are the reactants of the other.