1. The Four Organic Compounds
Essential Questions:
What is “Organic?”
What are the 4 major Organic Compounds?
How are they made?
What are they used for?

2. What does “Organic” Mean?
In Biology, the word organic means “relating to organisms.”
NOT food grown without the use of pesticides, antibiotics, or other industrial chemicals.
Specifically, all organic compounds contain covalently bound Carbon.
Carbon cycles through all living things through the process of photosynthesis, cellular respiration, death, and decomposition.
We’ll talk more about the Carbon Cycle in a few weeks!

3. Why Carbon is so Awesome...
Recall: How many bonds/shared electrons can a Carbon atom make? 4
Carbon can also bond to other carbon atoms, which gives carbon the ability to form chains that are almost unlimited in length.
These carbon-carbon bonds can be single, double, or triple.
The chains can be straight, branched, or even ring-shaped.
Therefore, carbon is unique in that it can form millions of different large and complex structures.
Buckyballs!

4. How are the 4 major Organic Compounds Formed?
They are formed by Polymerization, which is the joining of smaller units (monomers) together that form large compounds (polymers.)
Dehydration synthesis: joins molecules by removing a molecule of water.
Recall: What molecule did we model in class that did this?
Glucose to form starch!
Hydrolysis: breaks apart molecules by adding water (the opposite process)

5. 1. Carbohydrates
Organic compound composed of Carbon, Hydrogen and Oxygen in a 1:2:1 Ratio.
Monomers – glucose
Polymer – starch
Ends in -ose = sugar
1 sugar = monosaccharide
Examples: glucose, fructose (in fruits) and galactose (in milk)
2 sugars = disaccharide
Examples: Sucrose, Maltose, Lactose
3 or more = polysaccharide
Examples: Starch, Cellulose (plants), and Glycogen (animals)‏
Used for…
short term energy storage (quick energy)

6. Why Carbohydrates? Many animals store extra sugar as glycogen.
Glycogen stored in your muscles supplies energy for movement.
Glycogen stored in your liver is released when the glucose (sugar) in your blood runs low.
Recall: This maintaining a balance in the body is called what?
Homeostasis!
Plants store excess sugar as starch.
Plants also make cellulose, a strong, rigid fiber used for support.

7. 2. Lipids
Have a large amount of Carbon and Hydrogen with little or no oxygen (long chains)
Are Fats, Waxes, and Oils
Monomers – 1 glycerol & 3 fatty acid chains
Polymer – Lipid
Used for…
Long term energy storage
Protection
Insulation
Waterproof coverings
Cell Membranes
Chemical Messengers (steroids)

8. Lipids come in two flavors…
Saturated: Single Bonds
Animal Fats
Harder to digest
Solids at room temperature
Holds as many Hydrogen atoms as possible
Unsaturated: Double Bonds
Vegetable Oils
Easier to digest
Liquids at room Temperature
Does not hold as many hydrogen atoms as possible
Your Turn! Make a quick hypothesis to why Unsaturated Fats are easier to break down (thus healthier for you) than Saturated Fats!
It is easier for your body to break double bonds than single bonds due to the number of electrons. Aka, it’s easier to steal 1 electron from Carbon when it is sharing two versus just that one! (Like borrowing money!)

9. Common Misconceptions: Lipids – Good & Bad Cholesterol
Real Questions:
You’ll be amazed at what you find online about the different types of cholesterol! You should check it out!

10. 3. Nucleic Acids
Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen, and two Phosphorus atoms arranged in 3 groups:
Monomers:
A Nitrogen Base
Example: A, G, C, T or U
5-Carbon Simple Sugar
Example: Deoxyribose (DNA) or Ribose (RNA)
A Phosphate group
Polymer – Nucleotide
Used for…
Storing and transmitting cellular information in a code called DNA or RNA.

11. 4. Proteins Composed of Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen, and Sulfur
Monomers = amino acids
Polymers = proteins
Provide structure for cells, bones, muscles, tissues, organs, hormones, most everything in the body!
Special Function: Carries out cell metabolism (via enzymes)
When the amino acids join, they form a polymer called a polypeptide.
The monomers are held together by peptide bonds.
Proteins can be destroyed by extreme heat (fever) = denature

12. Protein Structure Proteins vary the most in structure
because of the variable their
amino acid makeup.
20 essential amino acids total!
This allows for the unique shape of proteins.
Since the R-group varies, it allows for much variety. That is why proteins have so many functions in the body.
Shape is very important; if a protein is not the right shape, it will not work or only have partial function!
Example: Sickle Cell Anemia

13. Safety for today’s lab:
Wear goggles at Sugar station
Wear gloves at sugar and Protein stations