carbon - component of all biological molecules
- molecules w/ carbon can form straight chains, branches, rings
- hydrocarbons - molecules containing only carbon and hydrogen; energy-rich, makes good fuels (ex. propane gas, gasoline); nonpolar
- macromolecules - large, complex assemblies of molecules; separated into proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, carbohydrates
- polymers - long molecules built by linking together smaller chemical subunits
- dehydration synthesis - takes a -OH group and a H from 2 molecules to create a covalent bond between them, forming water as a byproduct
- catalysis - positioning and stressing the correct bonds; done by enzymes
- hydrolysis - adding water to break a covalent bond in a macromolecule
polymer macromolecules
- amino acid >> polypeptide >> intermediate filament
- nucleotide >> DNA strand >> chromosome
- fatty acid >> fat molecule >> adipose cells w/ fat droplets
- monosaccharide >> starch >> starch grains in chloroplasts
functional groups - specific atomic groups added to a hydrocarbon core