Biochemistry Introduction

• Atom


  the smallest particle of an element

  
• Ion


  an atom that has a positive or negative charge

  
• Molecule

  two nonmetals bonded by a covalent bond
• Covalent bond


  sharing of electrons

  
• Ionic bond


  atoms giving or taking electrons

  
• Nonpolar covalent bond


  electrons are shared almost equally between atoms

  
• Polar covalent bond

  unequal sharing of electrons

  
• Coordinate covalent bond


  a covalent bond in which one atom contributes both bonding electrons

  
• Intramolecular forces


  forces holding atoms together in a molecule
• Intermolecular forces


  forces of attraction between neighboring molecules

  
• London dispersion forces

  when particles with uneven charges are temporarily attracted

  
• Dipole-dipole


  when one slightly charged end of a molecule is attracted to another molecule's opposite charged end

  
• Hydrogen bonding


  a hydrogen atom that is bonded to a highly electronegative atom

  
• Polar molecule


  a molecule with uneven charges, resulting in positive and negative ends

  
• Hydrophobic


  nonpolar, unable to mix with water
• Hydrophilic


  polar, attracted and can interact with water
• Functional Group

  a group of atoms attached to a molecule that gives them physical and chemical properties
• What do functional groups do?

  provide the same chemical property to the organic molecule they are bonded to
• What are the functional groups?

  Hydroxyl, carbonyl, carboxyl, amino, sulfhydryl, phosphate

  
• What is a common property of functional groups?

  polar
• What is the hydroxyl structure?

  C bonded with an OH- (polar)

  
• What is an example of a hydroxyl?

  Alcohol (ethanol)
• Where are hydroxyls found?

  Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids
• What is the carbonyl structure?

  C=O (polar)

  
• What are the two types of carbonyl classes?

  Aldehyde and ketone
• What is an aldehyde structure?

  C bonded with an O and H

  
• What is an example of an aldehyde?

  Formaldehyde
• What is a ketone structure?

  Carbon bonded with an oxygen and another atom (not hydrogen)

  
• What is an example of a ketone?

  Acetone
• Where are carbonyls found?

  carbohydrates and nucleic acids
• What is a carboxyl structure?

  COOH (slightly acidic)

  
• What is an example of a carboxyl group?

  acetic acid
• Where are carboxyls found?

  proteins and lipids
• What is an amino group structure?

  N atom bonded to 2 H atoms (NH2) (basic)

  
• What is an example of an amino?

  alamine (or any amino acid)
• Where are aminos found?

  proteins and nucleic acids
• What is the structure of a phosphate?

  PO4 (negative charge)

  
• What is an example of a phosphate?

  Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate (product of photosynthesis)
• Where are phosphates found?

  nucleic acids
• What is a sulhydryl structure?

  SH (slightly polar)