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The Chemistry of Life
Biomolecules
“Carbon Compounds”
You have probably learned about levels of
organization within living things in the past…
- Organism
- Organ Systems
- Organs
- Tissues
- Cells
But we are going smaller!
Just what size of things are we talking about here?
When you see the
Copy the notes!
All living organisms require the same basic
“building blocks” to survive and function.
These large compounds give us energy,
determine our characteristics, and form the
physical structures that create us.
Macromolecules (Large molecule)
 Monomers (small molecules)
 Polymers (large molecules made of
many single monomers)
There are four types of macromolecules found
in living organisms.
1. Carbohydrates
2. Lipids
3. Proteins
4. Nucleic Acids
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates – chains of sugars
 Monosaccharaides (simple sugars)
i.e. C6H12O6 - glucose
 Disaccharaides (double ring sugars)
i.e. sucrose – table sugar
 Polysaccharides (complex sugars) starch,
cellulose, and glycogen
Carbohydrate Functions
 Quick energy foods.
 Storage:
Plants starch
Animals  glycogen
Lipids
Lipid Functions
1. Important in cell membrane
2. High energy food
3. Protects vital organs
4. Insulates the body
5. Stores food (energy)for later use
6. Made of C, H, O
Structure of Lipids
Structure of Lipids
Proteins
Protein Function
 Most Abundant: 50% of Dry Wt
 Build Internal Structures
 Movement: Makes up muscle tissue
 Transport: Carries oxygen in an organism
 Immunity: Helps fight off foreign invaders
 Enzymes: Speed up chemical reactions
Protein (Structure)
Nucleic Acids
Nucleic Acids
 Two types of nucleic acids
 DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid)
 RNA (Ribonucleic acid)
Contain genetic
code/information that
determines our characteristics
Nucleic Acids
 Monomer is called a
nucleotide.
 Made from a sugar
ring, phosphate
group and a nitrogen
base.
•Short term energy source
•Used within 24 hrs.
Basic Structure
Carbohydrate
Building Blocks
Monomer - Monosaccharides
(ring)
Polymer - Polysaccharides
(chain)
Function
Examples
•Breads
•Cereals
•Fruit
•Starch
•Pasta
•Forms structure of cell
membrane
•High energy food
•Long term energy storage
•Insulates body
Basic Structure
Function
Lipids
Building Blocks
Monomer – Glycerol
(hydrophilic head) & Fatty
Acids (hydrophobic tails)
Polymer – “Octopus”
appearance
Examples
•Fat
•Oils
•Butter
•Forms structure of cells
•Fights infection
•Speed up chemical reactions
(enzymes)
•Contracts muscles
Basic Structure
Function
Proteins
Building Blocks
Monomer – Amino Acids
(beads)
Polymer – Polypeptide (giant
tangled chain)
Examples
Foods
• Meat
• Beans
• Eggs
Internal
• Hair
• Skin
• Muscle
• Enzymes
•Stores genetic code
•Pass genetic information to
offspring
•Produce proteins
Basic Structure
Nucleic Acids
Building Blocks
Monomer – Nucleotides
Polymer – Double Helix
(DNA) / Single strand (RNA)
Function
Examples
•DNA – Genetic coding
•RNA – Protein coding
Crash Course - Biological Molecules