Ch. 3 - The Molecule of Cells

carbon

• fourth most abundant element in the universe • has 4 electrons in the outer valence shell and can form 4 covalent bonds • easily forms and breaks bonds with oxygen and other carbon atoms • crucial to respiration and photosynthesis • most resistible building blocks

• ethane, propane (length) - butane, 2-methylpropane (branching)

• 1-butene, 2-butene (double bonds) - cyclohexane, benzene (rings)

• are organic compounds with the same molecular formula but different structure • structure relates function, isomers, even though the basic chemistry is the same, they differ in chemical properties

structural, geometric, enantiomers

• pentane and 2-methyl butane - same molecular formulae but the arrangement of atoms is different -> different chemical properties

• cis isomer: two x’s are on the same side • trans isomer: two x’ are on opposite sides • something as simple as flipping where functions; groups are located can result in a change in chemical properties

subunit (molecule) that serves as a guiding block for a polymer

large molecule consisting of many identical or similar monomers

mirror images of each other

formation of larger molecules from smaller reactants accompanied by the loss of water molecule

synthesis of a polymer

• increases the rate of a chemical reaction without being permanently changed • polymerase enzymes catalyze dehydration synthesis reactions

adding water molecule on to separate/break bond

• first 5 groups have polar covalent bonds = hydrophilic and highly soluble in water • acids = COOH • amino group = NH2 • link C = carbohydrates • add amino and acid groups = amino acids -> link amino acids = proteins • add P = phosphates - ATP • add CH3, methyl group - important for gene expression and cell membrane formation