BIO 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Trans Fat, Cysteine, Neuron
27 Sep 2016
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Document Summary
Organic molecules are molecules found in living systems. Often many carbon atoms are connected in a skeleton or backbone. Many are quite complex in structure (chains, sheets, rings, helices) isms. Biologically important for acquiring nutrients, movement, growth and reproduction. Carbon chemistry allows for this: needs 4 covalent bonds to fill its outer electron shell. Are commonly occurring atoms or groups of atoms that are attached to the carbon backbone of organic molecules. They are less stable than carbon backbone so, more likely to react. By analogy, trains (polymer) are a chain of individual train cars (monomer) One monomer loses a hydrogen ion (h+) Second loses a hydroxide ion or hydroxyl group (oh ) Monomers link covalently at open electron sites and water is formed. Polymer broken apart into its original subunits. Water donates a h+ to one subunit and a oh to the other.
