Carbon Compounds

Section 2.3

Chemistry of Carbon• Carbon atoms have 4 valance electrons, which allows them to form

strong covalent bonds with many other elements.

Chemistry of Carbon (cont.)• Carbon can bond with

many elements, including hydrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, sulfur, and nitrogen to form the molecules of life.

• Living organisms are made of molecules that consist of carbon and these other elements.

•One carbon atom can bond to another, which gives carbon the ability to form chains that are almost unlimited in length.

• C-C bonds can be single, double, or triple covalent bonds.

Chemistry of Carbon (cont.)• Chains of carbon atoms can

even close up on themselves and form rings.

• Carbon has the ability to form millions of different large and complex structures.

“No element even comes close to matching

carbon’s versatility.”

Macromolecules• Carbohydrates: The main source

of energy for living things

• Lipids: Used to store energy.

• Nucleic Acids: Store and transmit hereditary, or genetic, information

• Proteins: Control the rates of reactions and regulate cell processes.

Macromolecules (cont.)• “Macro” = Giant…..so….

“macromolecules”

• They are made of hundreds/thousands of other molecules

• Formed by a process known as polymerization, in which large compounds are built by joining smaller ones into larger ones.

Macromolecules (cont.)• Smaller units are monomers,

joining together to form polymers.

• Biochemists sort the “macros” (macromolecules) found into living things into groups (four – carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids, and proteins) based on their chemical composition.

Carbohydrates• Compounds made up of carbon,

hydrogen, and oxygen atoms (ratio of 1:2:1)

• Living things use carbs as their main source of energy. Plants, some animals, and other organisms also use carbs for structural purposes.

• Breakdown of sugars (glucose) supplies immediate energy for cell activities.

Carbohydrates (cont.)• Large macros formed from

monosaccharides are known as polysaccharides.

• Animals store excess glycogen (“animal starch”).

• Plants use a different polysaccharide (starch)…and also cellulose.

“Cellulose is the major component of wood and paper.”

Lipids• Made mostly from carbon and

hydrogen atoms.

• Fats, oils, and waxes

• Can be used to store energy. Some lipids are important parts of biological membranes and waterproof coverings.

Lipids (cont.)• If each carbon atoms in a

lipid’s fatty acid chains is joined to another carbon atom by a single bond = saturated

• If there is at least one C-C double bond in a fatty acid, the fatty acid is said to be = unsaturated

Nucleic Acids•Macros containing hydrogen,

oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, and phosphorus.

• They are polymers assembled from individual monomers known as nucleotides:• 3 Parts-• 5-carbon sugar• Phosphate Group• Nitrogenous Base

Nucleic Acids (cont.)• Some nucleotides contain the

compound adenosine triphosphate (ATP) – which plays a role in capturing and transferring energy.

• Store and transmit hereditary, or genetic, information.

• 2 kinds of nucleic acids:• Ribonucleic acid (RNA)• Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)

Protein•Macros that contain

nitrogen, carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen.

• Proteins are polymers of molecules called amino acids.

•A protein is a functional molecule built from one of more polypeptides.

Protein (cont.)• Some proteins control the rate

of reactions and regulate cell processes. Others form important cellular structures, while still others transport substances into or out of cells or help to fight disease.

• Shape of a protein is maintained by a variety of forces: ionic and covalent bonds, as well as van der Waals forces and hydrogen bonds.