organic compounds - macromolecules made of subunits in living organisms  

• carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, nucleic acids
• dehydration synthesis - water molecule removed to bond 2 subunits
• hydrolysis - exothermic reaction where water is added to break bonds between subunits
• different structures and arrangments give compounds different characteristics

controlled experiments - has controls used for comparison  

• unknown solution - may or may not contain the substance that is being tested for
• positive control - contains the substance that is being tested for; shows what a positive test should look like
• negative control - doesn't react in the test; shows what a negative result should look like

carbohydrates - molecules made of C, H, and O in ratio 1:2:1  

• monosaccharides - simple sugars
• disaccharides - paired monosaccharides
• polysaccharides - linking together 3 or more monosaccharides
• reducing sugars - monosaccharides that have free adlehyde (-CHO) or ketone (-C=O) groups that reduce weak oxidizing agents
• Benedict's test - identifies reducing sugars that can reduce the cupric ions in Benedict's reagent into cuprous oxide
• iodine test - iodine-potassium iodide reacts w/ coiled molecules of starch to become bluish black; doesn't react w/ other carbohydrates as much

proteins - made of amino acids  

• each amino acid has amino group, carboxyl group, and variable side chain
• peptide bond - forms between amino group and carboxyl group of 2 amino acids
• Biuret test - peptide bonds of proteins produce a violet color when in contact w/ the copper II found in Biuret reagent; individual amino acids do not react

lipids - nonpolar molecules w/ many C-H bonds  

• dissolve in nonpolar solvents
• fats (triglycerides) - made of glycerol and 3 fatty acids
• tests based on lipid's ability to change color w/ fat-soluble dyes (ex. Sudan IV)
• grease-spot test - lipids produce translucent grease-marks on unglazed paper

nucleic acids - made of nucleotide subunits  

• either DNA or RNA (differences in sugar structure and organic bases)
• Dische diphenylamine test - makes deoxyribose into another molecule that bonds w/ diphenylamine to make a blue color