Download Carbon-Based Molecules

Chapter 2.3
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Carbon has unique bonding properties
 Carbon = building block of life because it makes
up most living things
 Has four unpaired (free) electrons in it’s outer
energy level.
 This means it can bond up to 4 times with other
atoms. (even other carbon atoms)
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Straight Chain
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Branched Chain
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Ring
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These are usually formed with other
molecules.
If they are made up from separate small
pieces, then they are called polymers.
Polymers are made up of monomers.
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There are four main types of carbon-based
molecules:
 Carbohydrates
 Lipids
 Proteins
 Nucleic Acids
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These all look different but are still formed by
using Carbon chains and rings.
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Carbohydrates are made of carbon,
hydrogen, and oxygen
 Sugars
 Starches
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These are usually broken down for energy
usage.
Also used for plant structure.
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Can come in three different sugar forms:
Monosaccharides – (mono=one)(sugar)
Disaccharides – (Di = two)(sugar)
Polysaccharides – (poly = many) (sugars)
Fructose, Glucose, Sucrose, are examples of
simple sugars.
Starches (found in bread, pasta, and cereals)
are more complex.
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These are nonpolar molecules that includes
fats, oils, and cholesterol.
Can be used for some energy uses, some are
used for cell structure.
Fatty acids – chains of carbon/hydrogen
atoms.
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These are involved in almost every cell
process in your body.
Made up of chains of amino acids.
We need 20 different kinds of amino acids,
your body makes 12 already.
Amino acids are made up of two bonded
molecules (carboxyl group and amino)
These link together to form
polypeptides.(Giant protein polymers)
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Polymers that are made up of monomers
called nucleotides.
Two types of nucleic acids : DNA and RNA
This is designed to store information so
proteins can later be assembled.
Your DNA is just a string of arranged
nucleotides.