functional groups a part of the molecule that stands out as an unusual or unique part of the...
TRANSCRIPT
MOLECULES IN BIOLOGY
Functional Groups a part of the molecule that stands out as an
unusual or unique part of the molecule the molecule often has certain characteristics
based on a functional group the entire molecule is often named according to
the functional group they contain “R” in a structural formula of a molecule just
stands for any other atoms other than the functional groupoften referred to as a “side chain”
Geeky website on functional groups click here
Carboxyl
Ester appropriately called esters if have O=C O
Ketone
Hydroxyl molecules containing this (OH) are
called alcohols
the molecular subunits/building blocks of proteins (the essential building blocks for living organisms)
20 different amino acids are used to synthesize almost all the proteins in almost all living cells
Amino Acids/Proteins
protein formationlink is between carboxyl group on one
a.a. and the amino group on the other.water is formed and remaining N and C
link together called a peptide bond
humans can tell the difference between 10,000 different odors
a more distant sense allowing us to detect small concentrations of airborne substancesmust be a gas
○ therefore cannot smell ionic compounds since they are normally solids at room temperature
molecules fit into certain receptors sites in the human body as a result of their shapesignals are then sent to the brain
Smells
compounds that have similar smells have similar structural formulas
polar molecules may “stick” to receptor sites better than non-polar
Waterhydrogen bonding
○ occurs when positively charged hydrogens are weakly attracted to the unshared electron pairs of another atom
○ in water, the positive H is often attracted to the negative oxygen
Dissolvingwater’s polarity allows it to dissolve ionic compounds
(+ and -) and polar covalent molecules (ƺ+ or ƺ-)○ “like dissolves like”
life on Earth is based on this
