Chemistry of Carbon & Macromolecules Flashcards
(26 cards)
What is the process of polymerization?
Macromolecules are built by joining monomers together
What are the four major groups of macromolecules found in living thing?
carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids, and proteins
What elements are carbohydrates made of?
carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (1:2:1)
What is the function of carbohydrates?
Living things use them as their main source of energy
What are two types of carbohydrates, their names, and common forms?
- Simple Sugars (monosaccharides) found commonly in glucose, galactose, and fructose
- Complex Carbohydrates (polysaccharides) found in glycogen (animals) and starch (plants) as a way to as a way to store excess sugar
What are the function of lipids?
Can be used to store energy or important parts of biological membranes and waterproof coverings
What special characteristic do lipids have?
Not soluble in water
What elements are lipids made of?
Carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen
What are lipids common forms?
Fats, oils, and waxes
What are nucleic acids made of?
hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, and phosphorus
What is nucleic acid’s monomers known as?
Nucleotides
What do nucleotide consist of?
A 5-carbon sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogen base
What is the main function of nucleic acids?
Store and transmit genetic information
What are the polymers of nucleic acids?
Ribonucleic acid (RNA) containing the sugar ribose and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) containing the sugar deoxyribose
What elements are proteins made of?
Nitrogen, carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen
What is the monomer of proteins?
Amino acids
What links together amino acids together?
peptide bond
What are the functions of proteins?
Control the rate of reactions and regulate cell processes, form important cellular structures, transport substances into and out of cells, and help fight disease
How many different amino acids are found in nature
20
Why is carbon unique?
it can make up to four covalent bonds with other atoms
What is a monomer?
a single unit building block
What is a polymer
monomers joined together
What is a macromolecule?
a giant molecule made up of monomers
What elements is nucleic acid made of?
carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorus
