Organic Chemistry: The Chemical Building Blocks of Life

 

I. The Building Blocks of Organisms

       A. Organic molecules have functional groups; macromolecules are polymers

       B. Building macromolecules

              1. Dehydration reaction

              2. Hydrolysis reaction

 

II. Carbohydrates

       A. Monosaccharides: food molecule, e.g. glucose

       B. Disaccharides: transport, e.g. sucrose, lactose

       C. Polysaccharides: energy storage, structure, e.g. starch, cellulose

 

III. Lipids

       A. Fats, oils, & waxes

       B. Energy storage. 9 kcal/gram

       C. Also insulation, organ support

 

IV. Proteins

       A. Roles: enzymes, structural, messengers

       B. Amino acids are building blocks held together by peptide bonds.

       C. Structure: Primary, Secondary, Tertiary, Quartenary

 

V. Nucleic Acids

       A. Nucleotides

       B. DNA: Deoxyribonucleic Acid

       C. RNA: Ribonucleic Acid