3. Chemistry of Life: Organic Compounds – Flashcards
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Organic compounds
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Any compound containing carbon
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Inorganic compounds
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Any compound not containing carbon
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Inorganic forms of carbon
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Carbon dioxide and any carbonate is considered to be inorganic.
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Organic carbon
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Any carbon that is covalently bound to hydrogen
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Describe the properties of carbon that make it the central component of organic compounds
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Carbon has six electrons with 2 in the lowest energy level and 4 in the highest. Because of the four in the highest level, carbon (C) can complete its outer shell by forming a total of four covalent bonds.
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Why is carbon a backbone for large molecules
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The carbon to carbon bond can be quite strong but not too strong.
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Can double and triple bonds form between the carbons
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Yes
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What else can be formed
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A great variety of branched or unbranched chain structures and ring compounds for life can be formed.
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What can carbon form
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Bonds with H, O, and N as well as S, P and other elements to enhance this variety.
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Three principal types of isomers
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Isomers have the same molecular formula but differ in either structure, geometry, (cis or trans), or are enantiomers (mirror images)
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Carbohydrates
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A larger number of polar groups make carbohydrates hydrophilic
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Fats
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Lipids, not defined by structure
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Proteins
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Polypeptides, structural components, cell regulators, enzymes
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Nucleic acids
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DNA and RNA Store and transfer information
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Monosaccharides
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Mono means one Simple sugar; glucose, fructose, ribose
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Disaccharides
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Di means two monosaccharides joined by glycosidic linkage
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Polysaccharides
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Poly means many Long chains; Storage in plants; glycogen in animals
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Saccharides
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Sugar
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Fructose
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Fruit sugar; a simple monosaccharide found in many plants
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Glucose
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Simple monosaccharide found in plants. It is one of the three dietary monosaccharides
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Sucrose
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The organic compound commonly known as table sugar
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Maltose
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Disaccharide formed from two units of glucose joined with an α bond
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Storage Polysaccharides consist of what
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Starch (alpha 1-4 links) and glycogen (highly branded)
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Cellulose
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(Beta 1-4 links) Structural polysaccharide found in plants
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Chitin
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Structural polysaccharide found in fungi and insects
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Glycoproteins
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Mucus
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Glycolipids
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Recognition of compounds on cell surfaces
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Lipids
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Important for many structural components of cells and make up some hormones. They consist mainly of carbon and hydrogen with a little oxygen. They are hydrophobic in water
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Why are lipids excellent energy storage molecules
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They yield at least twice as much energy as carbohydrates per gram
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Triglycerides
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Consist of glycerol and 3 fatty acids
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Saturated fatty acids
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No double bonds on carbon
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Unsaturated fatty acids
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Rigid double bonds, lower melting
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Steroids
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Carbon atoms arranged in 4 rings
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Amino Acid
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Have amino group and carboxyl group
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Amino acid's side chains
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Determine chemical properties
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Nucleotide
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Nitrogenous base, five-carbon sugar, one or more phosphate groups
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ATP
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A nucleotide that can be cyclized into cyclic AMP and contributes to the adenosine of RNA
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dATP
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Can be used to make DNA
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Most energy reactions in the cell occur with what
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ATP acting as the "central currency" of energy.
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Nucleotides for building RNA
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CTP GTP, and UTP
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Nucleotides for building DNA
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dCTP, dGTP, and dTTP
