1. Chapter 2 – BIOCHEMISTRY
2-3 “Carbon Compounds”
The Chemistry of Carbon
1. Molecules that contain carbon (and hydrogen) are called
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
2. Each carbon atom has 4 valence electrons
-- allows carbon atom to form 4 bonds with other atoms
-- can form long carbon chains and rings

2. 3. Carbon can form very large, complex molecules
 called POLYMERS
a. A polymer is made from joining 1000’s of smaller
molecules (MONOMERS) in a long chain
b. The process of joining monomers together to form
polymers is called POLYMERIZATION

3. The 4 main type of ORGANIC COMPOUNDS found in living
things are:
1) CARBOHYDRATES
2) LIPIDS
3) NUCLEIC ACIDS
4) PROTEINS

4. a. Made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in a 1:2:1 ratio
The Organic Compounds
1. CARBOHYDRATES
a. Made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in a 1:2:1 ratio
-- ex. C6H12O6 (glucose)
C15H30O15 (a sugar)
C10H20O8 (a lipid)
b. Living things use carbohydrates for:
1) main source of energy
2) to make up certain cell parts
CARBS

5. -- called MONOSACCHARIDES -- one sugar molecule
c. 2 main types of carbs:
1) sugars
2) starches
d. SUGARS  end in “ose”
1) Simple sugars
-- called MONOSACCHARIDES
-- one sugar molecule
-- ex. Glucose, fructose, galactose
2) If join 2 simple sugars together you form a 2 sugar
molecule
 DISACCHARIDE
-- ex. Sucrose, maltose,
lactose
CARBS

6. 3) If keep on joining simple sugars you form a many sugar molecule
 POLYSACCARIDE (a.k.a. STARCH)
CARBS
STARCH
1) A polysaccharide  a long chain of sugars
2) ex. Pasta, rice, breads

7. 3) animals store excess sugar as a polysaccharide called
GLYCOGEN (“animal starch”) in their LIVER
4) Plants store excess sugar as starch
5) Another important polysaccharide to plants is
CELLULOSE
 makes up the CELL WALL in PLANT CELLS
CARBS

8. a. Also made of C, H, and O (but not in 1:2:1 ratio) -- C6H12O5
LIPIDS
a. Also made of C, H, and O (but not in 1:2:1 ratio)
-- C6H12O5
b. 3 main types:
1) FATS 2) OILS 3) WAXES
c. Uses:
1) energy (2x as much as carbs)
2) make up cell membranes
3) waterproof coverings
LIPS

9. d. Made up of 3 FATTY ACID MOLECULES attached to 1 GLYCEROL MOLECULE
LIPS
FAT
Glycerol
Fatty acids

10. e. SATURATED FAT – solid at room temp
LIPS
e. SATURATED FAT – solid at room temp
-- all carbon to carbon bonds are single in the fatty acid
-- contain the maximum number of hydrogen atoms (saturated)

11. UNSATURATED FAT – liquid at room temperature
-- contains at least on double or triple bond between 2
carbon atoms in a fatty acid
-- does not contain the maximum number of hydrogen atoms
LIPS
 Saturated fatty acid
 Unsaturated fatty acid
Unsaturated Fat

12. -- if contains more than one double or triple bond –>
-- if contains more than one double or triple bond –> called a POLYUNSATURATED FAT
LIPS

13. a. Contains C, H, O, and N, and P (Nitrogen) (Phosphorus)
NUCLEIC ACIDS
a. Contains C, H, O, and N, and P
(Nitrogen) (Phosphorus)
b. 2 main types: DNA and RNA
(deoxyribonucleic acid) (ribonucleic acid)
c. Made of a long chain of NUCLEOTIDES
 made of: for DNA for RNA
a. 5 – carbon sugar deoxyribose ribose
b. A phosphate group
c. A nitrogen base
guanine (G) G
(1 of 4 types) cytosine (C) C
adenine (A) A
thymine (T) uracil (U)
NUCS

14. d. Uses  Nucleic Acids store and transmit genetic information
NUCS
DNA  double-stranded
RNA  single-stranded
d. Uses  Nucleic Acids store and transmit genetic information

15. a. Made of C, H, O, and Nitrogen, and some have Sulfur
PROTEINS
a. Made of C, H, O, and Nitrogen, and some have Sulfur
b. Used by organisms for GROWTH and REPAIR
c. Made up of a long chain of AMINO ACIDS
PROS
STRUCTURE OF AN AMINO ACID
-- all amino acids have an AMINO GROUP and a
CARBOXYL GROUP
-- amino acids differ from each other in their R SIDE CHAIN

16. d. There are 20 different types of amino acids
PROS
d. There are 20 different types of amino acids

17. If join 2 amino acids together forms a DIPEPTIDE
PROS
-- amino acids are held together by a
PEPTIDE BOND
If keep on adding amino acids to a dipeptide forms a
POLYPEPTIDE

18. A protein is made of 1 or more POLYPEPTIDE CHAINS
h. Proteins differ from each other in their order of amino acids
-- most proteins are 100’s of amino acids long
-- a protein of 100 amino acids made with the 20 different
known amino acids can have different arrangements
(1.268 x 10130)
 there is GREAT VARIETY in proteins
PROS

19. Proteins also differ from each other in their SHAPE
Proteins bend into different shapes based on the order of their amino acids
PROS
PROTEIN SHAPES
The instructions for building proteins in a cell is contained in
DNA

20. MAJOR TYPES OF PROTEINS: 1. ENZYMES – control chemical reactions
in living things
2. the major BUILDING MATERIAL
of cells
3. HORMONES – chemical
messengers
4. ANTIBODIES – made by white blood cells to fight disease
PROS