2.3 Carbon compounds

Compounds can be classified into two categories.

1.Inorganic Compounds – Compounds with NO Carbon element in it.

2. Organic Compounds – Compounds with Carbon elements in it. . (This includes all living animals & Plants)

In the body, living cells are so large they are made up of giant molecules called “Macromolecules.”

These macromolecules are made up of smaller large segments called Polymers.

Polymers are chains of even smaller molecules called “Monomers.”

The “Monomers” join together to form a “Polymer” by a process called “Polymerization”

Polymerization – process in which monomers are joined together to make large Polymers.

Macromolecules (giant)

Polymers (med)

Monomers (small)

Deh

ydra

tion

Lose a water

molecule

Hyd

ratio

n

Gain a water

molecule

In Dehydration you have two biomolecules that want to join together.

The way they join together is to lose a molecule of water.

OH + O H

H CH2OH

Glucose Fructose

H2O

So the two biomolecules are now joined by the Oxygen molecule left behind by

Dehydration.This occurs for all of the Biomolecules.

The reverse happens when you want to break large biomolecules to smaller

monomers.

H2O

“Hydrolysis” or

“Hydration”

There are 4 types of these Organic Carbon Macromolecules

Carbon Compounds

Carbohydrates Lipids Nucleic Acids

Proteins

Let’s start with Carbohydrates.

1.Carbohydrates1.Carbohydrates – are organic compounds composed of Carbon, Hydrogen and Oxygen ONLY!ONLY!

They are in a 1 : 2 : 1 Ratio (CH2O)n

C H O

C

H

HO

The key to Carbohydrates is that they are normally in a “Carbon ring” structure.

Let’s look at the most common example of a Monosaccharide sugar called

““GlucoseGlucose” ” CC66HH1212OO66

The Carbons in Glucose (C6H12O6)first start out to form a Hexagon (6 sided) “Carbon Ring” joined

together by an Oxygen element

OC5

C4

C3

C2

C1

DRAW THIS ON YOUR PAPER!!!

Count So Far:

5 Carbon 0 Hydrogen 1 Oxygen

Note: Oxygen has used up it’s 2 binding

sites

OC5

C4

C3

C2

C1

Now let’s add on to the #1 Carbon… (only 2 bonding sites so far are filled...)

H

OH

Count So Far:

5 Carbon 2 Hydrogen 2 Oxygen

Now let’s add on to the #2 Carbon… (only 2 bonding sites so far are filled...)

OC5

C4

C3

C2

C1

H

OH

H

OH

Count So Far:

5 Carbon 4 Hydrogen 3 Oxygen

Now let’s add on to the #3 Carbon… (only 2 bonding sites so far are filled...)

OH

H

Count So Far:

5 Carbon 6 Hydrogen 4 Oxygen

OC5

C4

C3

C2

C1

H

OH

H

OH

Now let’s add on to the #4 Carbon… (only 2 bonding sites so far are filled...)

Count So Far:

5 Carbon 8 Hydrogen 5 Oxygen

OH

H

OC5

C4

C3

C2

C1

H

OH

H

OH

H

OH

Now let’s add on to the #5 Carbon… (only 2 bonding sites so far are filled...)

Count So Far:

6 Carbon 9 Hydrogen 5 Oxygen

OH

H

OC5

C4

C3

C2

C1

H

OH

H

OH

H

OH

H

H H

OH

Count So Far:

6 Carbon 12 Hydrogen 6 Oxygen

C6

Let’s look at another way we draw Glucose…Count the number of Carbon Molecules

6

5

4

3 2

1

Every bent corner represents a Carbon molecule.

Carbohydrate – C6H12O6

Can Actually have different Physical shapes even though the chemical formula is the

same!

This is called an ISOMER

Galactose

Fructose

1

23

4

5

Galactose

Difference from Glucose

Carbohydrates are sugars.

So a low carb. diet means “low sugar” diet.

A (monomer) single sugar particle called “Monosaccharide”

If you put two monosaccharides together you get a (polymer) called a “Disaccharide”

There are 3 types of Carbohydrate sugars:

1. Monosaccharides – 1 Carbohydrate

2. Disaccharides – 2 Carbohydrates together

3. Polysaccharides – 3 or more together.

(Glucose, Fructose, Galactose)

Sucrose (table sugar)

Carbohydratesmeans “many

”

There are 3 Types of Carbohydrate Polysaccharides! Or Macromolecules

(giant)(They are usually stored in the organism)

1.Starch – made by Plants (EX: potato, yams, etc.)

2.Glycogen – made by Animals (EX: your liver)

3.Cellulose– made by specialized Plants (EX: celery)

Plants store the polysaccharide Starch. The cereal grains (wheat, rice, corn,

oats, ) as well as tubers such as potatoes are rich in starch.

Our bodies can eat and digest starch

STARCH

GLYCOGEN

Animals store the polysaccharide glycogen. The liver and skeletal muscle groups are where we store the excess

sugar.Since Carbohydrates give us energy, then if you need

more, you get it from these storage areas.

CELLULOSE

O

It is the major material of plant cell walls.

It is the wood pulp in all wood, the stringy stuff in your celery, and cotton is almost

pure cellulose.

Use your flow chart for this…

CARBOHYDRATES

Monomer: = Glucose, Fructose, Galactose = Monosaccharide Polymer: = Sucrose, Maltose, Lactose = Disaccharide Macromolecule: = Starch, Cellulose, Glycogen =

Polysaccharide Function: = Energy for some, Cell Wall structural support for plants.