Organic Compounds

Essential Questions:What is “Organic?”

What are the 4 major Organic Compounds?How are they made?

What are they used for?

What do we already know? Aristotle:

Francesco Redi:

Lazzaro Spallanzani:

Louis Pasteur:

Alexander Oparin:

Miller and Urey:

Sidney Fox:

Spontaneous Generation

Covered meat No maggots.Uncovered meat maggots.

First strike against Spontaneous Generation

Boiled broth open growth.Boiled broth sealed no growth.

Second strike BUTArgued he boiled “life

force”

Boiled broth, curvy neck no growth.Boiled broth, curvy neck removed growth.

Spontaneous GenerationDisproved!

He believed that energy from lightning and the sun can spark chemical reactions to create macromolecules like proteins.

Created the basic building blocks of life under conditions that mimicked the conditions of early earth.

Created and studied coacervates.

Organic Molecules make up all organisms

What does “Organic” Mean?

In Biology, organic means “relating to organisms.”

NOT food grown without the use of pesticides, antibiotics, or other industrial chemicals.

What do all organic compounds contain?CARBON

All organic molecules contain covalently bonded Carbon.

What does “Organic” Mean?

Carbon cycles through all living things through the processes of photosynthesis, cellular respiration, death, and decomposition.

We’ll talk more about the Carbon Cycle in a few weeks!

• Carbon can bond to other carbon atoms, which gives carbon the ability to form chains that are almost unlimited in length.

• These carbon-carbon bonds can be single, double, or triple.• The chains can be straight, branched, or even ring-shaped. • Therefore, carbon is unique in that it can form millions of

different large and complex structures.

Why Carbon is so Awesome...

How many bonds/shared electrons can a Carbon atom make?

4

How are the Four Organic Macromolecules Formed?

Dehydration synthesis: joins molecules by removing a molecule of water.

Polymerization: small units (monomers) are joined together to form large units (polymers.)

Hydrolysis: breaks apart molecules by adding water (the opposite process)

Monomer + monomer =Polymer!

What are the four organic molecules?

Carbohydrates

Proteins

Lipids

Nucleic Acids

We get from food!

Resides (stays) in our cells!

What is in a cheeseburger?

Nutrition Facts (Big ‘N Tasty at McDonalds):

Total Fat: 29 grams

Saturated Fat: 9 grams

Carbohydrates: 41 grams

Protein: 24 grams

CarbohydratesWhich part of the cheeseburger has

the most carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates

• Composed of Carbon, Hydrogen and Oxygen in a 1:2:1 Ratio.• Used for short term energy storage (quick energy!) and structural

support• Ending “-ose” = sugar

How many sugars? Examples

1 sugar Monosaccharide Monomer Plants: glucose, fructose Animals: galactose (milk)

2 sugars Disaccharide Polymer Plants: sucrose, maltoseAnimals: lactose (milk)

3+ sugars Polysaccharide Polymer Plants: starch, cellulose Animals: glycogen

Glucose Cellulose

Starch

Monomer + monomer =Polymer!

One sugar =

Two sugars =

Three or more sugars =

Monosaccharide!

Polysaccharide!

Polysaccharide!

Why Carbohydrates?• Many animals store extra sugar as glycogen.

– Glycogen stored in your muscles supplies energy for movement.

– Glycogen stored in your liver is released when the glucose (sugar) in your blood runs low.• Recall: What is this an example of?

– Homeostasis!

• Plants store excess sugar as starch. • Plants also make cellulose, a strong, rigid fiber

used for support. Starch, cellulose and glycogen are all… Polysaccharides!

What other part of the Big N’ Tasty is composed of

carbohydrates?

Cellulose!

Which part of the cheeseburger is the best

source of protein?

ProteinsProteins are present in every cell, tissue and organ in our bodies.

These proteins are constantly being broken

down and replaced.

Composed of Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen,

Nitrogen, and Sulfur

Provide structure for:cells, bones, muscles, tissues, organs, hormones…most everything in the body!

Special Function: Proteins are responsible for cell metabolism (via enzymes)

ProteinsThe protein in the food we

eat is digested (broken down) into amino acids that are later used to build and

replace other proteins in our bodies.

Monomers = amino acids

Polymers = proteins

When the amino acids join, they form a polymer called a

polypeptide. The monomers in an amino acid are held together by peptide bonds.

Proteins can be destroyed by extreme heat (fever) = denature

Protein Structure

Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins.

There are 20 essential amino acids.

All amino acids have the same Amino group and carboxyl groups, but each amino acid has its own unique R- group. Only 20 amino acids can combine in different arrangements to form all of the many different kinds of proteins in our bodies!

Shape is very important; if a protein is not the right shape, it will not work or only have partial function!

Which part of the cheeseburger is a source

of fat?

What is fat?• Fats are a type of lipid.• Lipids are hydrophobic

(water-fearing) organic molecule including fats, oils, waxes, phospholipids and steroids.

Lipids

Monomers: 1 glycerol & 3 fatty acid chainsPolymer: lipid

If we know that lipids (fat) are hydrophobic and take a long time to break down, what could it be useful for??

Long chains with lots of Carbon and Hydrogen (long chains), but little or

no oxygen

– Long term energy storage– Protection– Insulation– Waterproofing– Cell Membranes– Chemical Messengers

(steroids)

Lipids come in two flavors…Saturated: Single Bonds• Animal Fats • Harder to digest• Solids at room temperature• Holds as many Hydrogen atoms as possible

Your Turn! Make a quick hypothesis to why Unsaturated Fats are easier to break down (thus healthier for you) than Saturated Fats!It is easier for your body to break double bonds than single bonds due to the number of electrons. Aka, it’s easier to steal 1 electron from Carbon when it is sharing two versus just that one! (Like borrowing money!)

Unsaturated: Double Bonds• Vegetable Oils • Easier to digest• Liquids at room Temperature• Does not hold as many hydrogen

atoms as possible

Common Misconceptions:Lipids – Good & Bad Cholesterol

You’ll be amazed at what you find online about the different types of cholesterol! You should check it out!

What is a nucleic acid?

DNA: Deoxyribonucleic

Acid

How do nucleic acids relate to the

cheeseburger?

DNA RNA Proteins!

DNA Is transcribed into

RNA,which is then

translated into proteins.

• Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen, and two Phosphorus atoms arranged in 3 groups (monomers)

• Used for storing and transmitting cellular information in a code called DNA or RNA.

Nucleic Acids

Nucleic Acids• Monomer: Nucleotide– Nitrogen Base

• A, G, C, T or U

– 5-Carbon Simple Sugar• Deoxyribose (DNA) • Ribose (RNA)

– Phosphate group

• Polymer – DNA or RNA

Nitrogen Base

Simple Sugar

Phosphate group

Organic molecules are the building blocks of life

They are broken down into monomers,

then rebuilt into polymers, then broken down again, then rebuilt

again! And so life goes on…

Your turn!

What kind of macromolecules did you/will you eat today?