Biological Molecules

Quiz on Reading

-Organic- is any molecule that contains a carbon atom

-Inorganic- molecules without carbon and carbon dioxide

Chart of Functional Groups

Attached to the carbon atom in organic molecules are functional groups

The functional groups determine the characteristics of the molecule

Biological molecules are macromolecules

Macromolecules means large molecules

Large molecules only exist because something living made them. They do not happen on their own. Macromolecules are put together and built through chemical processes by living organisms.

There are four types of macromolecules

1) Carbohydrates

2) Lipids

3) Proteins

4) Nucleotides/nucleic acid

One piece of an organic molecule is called a monomer

-Monomer- one subunit of a biological molecule

-Polymer- a chain of monomers

Monomers are attached to make a polymer through a process called dehydration synthesis

When two monomers are joined together they attach at the functional group Hydroxyl which is an OH. When they attach at this point they share an oxygen but they lose H2O and a water molecule falls away. This is why it is called dehydration synthesis...because it is losing a water.

-Polymers are broken apart into monomers through a process called hydrolysis

In order to break two monomers, water has to be added so the monomers can go back to having their own OH Hydroxyl functional group. Because the water is cutting the monomers apart it is called hydrolysis. Hydro means water and lysis means to cut.