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Carbon as a Basis for Life. Chapter 4. The Importance of Carbon. All living organisms based significantly on carbon Creates a large diversity of biological molecules Includes: proteins, DNA, carbohydrates, lipids, and others Distinguishes living form nonliving matter
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Carbon as a Basis for Life Chapter 4
The Importance of Carbon • All living organisms based significantly on carbon • Creates a large diversity of biological molecules • Includes: proteins, DNA, carbohydrates, lipids, and others • Distinguishes living form nonliving matter • All these molecules are examples of emergent properties
Defining Organic Chemistry • Organic compounds are anything containing carbon • Hydrocarbon molecules contain only hydrogen and carbon • Simple (CH4) to large and diverse (proteins) • Organic molecule variation exists both w/i individual species and b/w different species • The four main elements of living organisms are? (hint: 96% of the human body) • Valence is the number of covalent bonds an atom can make • Valence electrons are ALL electrons in outermost shell
Carbon’s Ability to Bond • 6 electrons, ? in first shell and ? in outer shell • Can donate or accept electrons equally (form an ion) • Usually shares (covalent bonds) • Single, double, or triple • Makes large, complex molecules possible • Each line between 2 atoms represents 2 shared electrons
Carbon Carbon Bonding • Skeletons of most organic compounds are carbon chains • Straight, branched, or ringed • Number and bond type vary • Examples of hydrocarbons
Hydrocarbons • What constitutes a hydrocarbon? • Main components of fossil fuels b/c come from decomposed living organisms • Not major component of living organisms, but are regions in other molecules • Reactions cause large amounts of energy release • Fats – long, nonpolar, hydrophobic tail • Serve as stored fuel in animals • Used in gasoline
Isomers • 2 molecules with the same # of the same atoms, but different structure = different properties • 3 types • Structural • Covalently bonded and arranged in different orders • Number of configurations increase with increase in number of carbons • Geometric • Covalently the same partners, but different spatial arrangement • Double bonds prohibit rotation • Enantiomer • Mirror images (R- and L-) • Usually one is inactive • Important in pharmaceuticals because both can have different effects
Isomer Examples Cl Geometric Isomer Enantiomer Structural Isomer Cl Cl Cl 2C’s, 2H’s, and 2 Cl’s 1 of each 4C’s and 8H’s
Biomolecular Functioning • Hydrogens can be replaced by other atom groupings • Arrangement determines properties • May participate directly in reactions or indirectly because of shape • Sex hormones as an example • Testosterone vs estradiol • Different actions • Minimal differences in structure
Addition of water removes 1 phosphate to create ADP HOPO32- abbreviated as Pi ATP ‘stores potential to react with water’ ATP + water releases Energy for cell use Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) Addition of water