1. Macromolecules
Unit 2 - Biodiversity

2. Organic vs. Inorganic Organic
All organic compounds contain carbon (C).
All are bound with a covalent bond.
Exs.
Carbohydrates
Lipids
Proteins
Nucleic acids
Inorganic
Do NOT contain carbon.
Bound with an ionic bond.
Exs.
Table salt (NaCl)

3. Carbon
Carbon is an important biological element because it can form four bonds with other elements and long chains or rings
Polymer – large molecule made up of many smaller units like starch
Monomer – unit that makes up polymer; glucose is the monomer for starch

4. Carbon cntd.
Carbon has a central role in the chemistry of living organisms (organic chemistry).
Because of its ability to bond to itself and other elements
Carbon makes chain polymers (hundreds or thousands of carbon atoms long).
CARBON VIDEO
(NPR website)

5. What does a living organism need?
What types of molecules do living organisms need in order to survive.
The 4 macromulecules (the largest macromolecules) are:
Carbohydrates
Lipids (fats)
Proteins
Nucleic Acids

6. Carbohydrates Sugar molecules bonded together
They function to serve as an energy source
Simple sugars = monosaccharide
ex. glucose
Polymer of sugars = polysaccharide
ex. cellulose and glycogen

7. Proteins Made up of: very long chains of amino acids
There are over 20 different amino acids, which can combine in any order.
Proteins are very large and complex molecules.
Nitrogen plays an important part in proteins.
Functions:
Needed to build and repair body structures
Regulate processes in body
Ex. hemoglobin

8. Lipids
Made up of:
Mostly carbon and hydrogen polymers (very long) that do not dissolve in water
Function:
Store energy
Make up cell membranes
Store vitamins
Insulation (keeping warm)
Exs. Fats, Oils, Waxes

9. Nucleic Acids
Nucleic acids are the largest known organic molecules; made from thousands of repeating subunits called nucleotides
There are two major types of nucleic acids:
DNA
RNA
Functions:
To store our genetic code.

10. Releases energy for cells
Organic
Compound
Composed of:
Examples
Function
Carbohydrate
C, H, O
Sugar
Starch
cellulose
Releases energy for cells
Organic
Compound
Composed of:
Examples
Function
Protein
C, H, O, N
enzymes
Used to build cell parts;
Made of smaller parts called amino acids

11. Stores hereditary information
Organic
Compound
Composed of:
Examples
Function
Lipid
C, H, O
Fats
Oils
Waxes
Stores and releases MORE energy for cells
Organic
Compound
Composed of:
Examples
Function
Nucleic Acid
C, H,
O, N, P
DNA
RNA
Stores hereditary information