Chapter 4: Carbon and the Molecular Diversity of Life

living organisms on Earth are carbon based (made of chemicals based on carbon)

 

Concept 4.1  Organic chemistry is the study of carbon compounds

 

• organic chemistry specializes in carbon compounds

 

Concept 4.2  Carbon atoms can form diverse molecules by bonding to four other atoms

 

• It’s all about the electrons
• carbon has 6 electrons
• 2 in the first shell
• 4 in the second shell (valence shell)
• needs to donate or accept 4 to fill its valence shell
• it usually completes the valence shell by sharing to make covalent bonds
• carbon can bond with four other atoms
• tetravalence
• allows for large, complex molecules
• sometimes carbon will also form double bonds
• review how to write structural formulas
• there is molecular diversity because carbon can bond in so many different ways
• varied lengths
• double bonds
• branching
• rings
• Hydrocarbons
• carbon and hydrogen
• ex: fatty acids and phospholipids
• Isomers
• same number of atoms, but different structures
• 3 types
• structural
• geometric
• enantiomers

 

http://media.pearsoncmg.com/bc/bc_campbell_biology_7/media/interactivemedia/activities/load.html?4&A

 

http://media.pearsoncmg.com/bc/bc_campbell_biology_7/media/interactivemedia/activities/load.html?4&B

 

Concept 4.3  Functional groups are the parts of molecules involved in chemical reactions

 

• functional group 
• A specific configuration of atoms commonly attached to the carbon skeletons of organic molecules and usually involved in chemical reactions.
• The little differences attached to identical molecules
• 6 important functional groups
• hydroxyl
• carbonyl
• carboxyl
• amino
• sulfahydryl
• phosphate

 

http://media.pearsoncmg.com/bc/bc_campbell_biology_7/media/interactivemedia/activities/load.html?4&C

 

• ATP: An Important Source of Energy for Cellular Processes
• adenosine molecule with three phosphate groups attached
• when a phosphate is removed, energy is released
• this is when ATP turns into ADP
• energy is required to add the phosphate back on
• ATP is a key energy transferring molecule in living things