Carbon Macromolecules Ms. Poynter Biology Chemistry of Carbon - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

• Ms. Poynter

Biology

Carbon Macromolecules

• There are 2 reasons that there is a whole branch of chemistry set

aside just to study carbon compounds. They are:

• 1. Carbon atoms have FOUR valence electrons, allowing them to

form strong covalent bonds with many other elements. Carbon can bond with many elements, including hydrogen,

• xygen, phosphorous, sulfur and nitrogen to form the molecules
• f life.

Chemistry of Carbon

• There are 2 reasons that there is a whole branch of chemistry set

aside just to study carbon compounds. They are:

• 2. One carbon atom can bond to another carbon atom, which gives

carbon the ability to form chains that are almost unlimited in length. Carbon has the ability to form millions of different large and complex structures.

Chemistry of Carbon

• Macromolecules means giant molecules.
• Macromolecules are made from thousands or even hundreds of

thousands of smaller molecules.

• Most macromolecules are formed by a process known as

polymerization (many monomers), in which large compounds are built by joining smaller ones together. (think necklace or lego palace!

• The smaller units, or monomers, join together to form polymers.
• Biochemists sort macromolecules found in living things into

groups based on their chemical composition.

Macromolecules

• Think of monomers as different colored beads on a

necklace, and the polymers as the necklace itself.

Monomers & Polymers

Monomers Polymers

• OR think of monomers as Legos!

Monomers & Polymers

Monomers Polymers Atoms

The four categories of macromolecules we discussed in class are:

• Carbohydrates
• Proteins
• Lipids
• Nucleic Acids

Macromolecules

• Composed of Carbon (C), Hydrogen (H),

and Oxygen (O).

• Include Monosaccharides (Simple Sugars)

and Polysaccharides (Complex Sugars)

• Glucose, sucrose, fructose, and cellulose.
• Source of short term energy storage.
• Examples include: Potatoes (complex),

candy (simple), rice, pasta, fruit sugars, milk sugar, etc.

Carbohydrates

Candy and sugar makes kids hyper, but the short term energy source leads to hard “crash”

• If we used the necklace example for carbohydrates,

it might look like this:

Carbohydrate Monomers & Polymers

Monosaccharides

simple sugars

Polysaccharides

Complex sugars and starches

C, H, O Atoms

• Composed of C, H, O, and Nitrogen (N)
• Assembled from Amino Acids
• Create enzymes which make chemical reactions happen in living

things

• Make cell structures and parts
• Transport substances into and out of cells
• Help fight disease
• Examples include: Hair and Enzymes

Proteins

• If we used the necklace example for proteins, it

might look like this:

Protien Monomers & Polymers

Amino Acids

Type of Protein

• Composed of C, H, & O
• Has a glycerol and a fatty acid
• NOT soluble in water
• Two types: Saturated and Unsaturated
• Source of long term energy storage.
• Make up the cell membrane
• Examples include: fats, oils, waxes, and steroids.

Lipids

Bears eat a lot of food right before hibernation to “fatten up” so they have an energy storage during winter.

• Unsaturated fats come primarily from plant foods like nuts and seeds
• Are liquid at room temperature. Ex. include vegetable oils such as olive,

peanut, safflower, sunflower, soybean and corn.

• Do not raise blood cholesterol or low-density lipoprotein levels.

Unsaturated Lipids

• Saturated fats Most come from animal sources such as animal meat and

products, however several come from plant sources, like coconut, palm and palm kernel oils.

• Are normally solid at room temperature.
• Saturated fats raise levels of both total blood cholesterol and low-density

lipoprotein, or “bad” cholesterol.

• Elevated low-density lipoprotein is associated with an increased risk for

developing cardiovascular disease.

Saturated Lipids

• If we used the necklace example for proteins, it

might look like this:

Lipid Monomers & Polymers

Glycerol & Fatty acids

Type of lipid

• Composed of H, O, N, C, & P
• Made up of a Nitrogen base, a sugar, an a phosphate group
• Stores genetic information
• Examples include: RNA, DNA, and ATP

Nucleic Acids

• DNA

Nucleic Acids