intro to biochem

• Biochemical molecules are molecules found in living things, examples include carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids
• Scientists used to believe in vitalism, the theory that organic molecules could only be made by a vital force, but this was disproven when urea, a biological molecule, was produced in a laboratory setting in the 1720s
• An organic molecule contains both carbon and hydrogen, examples of organic molecules include methane, carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids
• Ionic bonds are formed between a metal and a nonmetal, involving the transfer of electrons, resulting in positively and negatively charged ions being attracted to each other
• Covalent bonds occur between two nonmetals, where electrons are shared between the atoms
• Biochemistry exam

  <|>Biochemical molecules are molecules found in living things

  • Examples include carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids
• Organic molecules could only be made by a vital force according to the theory of vitalism

  • Urea being produced in a laboratory setting disproved this theory
• Organic molecules contain both carbon and hydrogen

  • Examples of organic molecules include methane, carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids
• Ionic bonds are formed between a metal and a nonmetal

  • Involves the transfer of electrons
  • Example: Sodium giving an electron to chlorine to form an ionic bond
• Covalent bonds occur between two nonmetals

  • Electrons are shared between the two atoms
  • Example: Two hydrogen atoms sharing electrons to form a covalent bond
• Carbon forms the backbone of all biochemical molecules

  • Carbon has a binding capacity of four
  • Can form single, double, or triple bonds
  • Examples: Ethane with single bonds, Ethene with double bonds, Ethyne with triple bonds
• Carbon can form long chains or be found in branched or ring form

  • Example of a long chain: Fatty acid
  • Example of a ring structure: Glucose
• Carbon is important in organic compounds as it forms the backbone of biochemical molecules, it has a binding capacity of four and can form single, double, or triple bonds
• Carbon can form long chains of carbon atoms, branched structures, or ring structures in organic compounds
• Functional groups are groups of atoms bonded to the carbon skeleton that give molecules specific properties, examples include hydroxyl, carbonyl, and carboxyl groups
• Nonpolar molecules have symmetrically arranged atoms and electrons, making them insoluble in water, examples include methane, oxygen, and carbon dioxide
• Polar molecules have an asymmetrical arrangement of atoms, resulting in partially positive and negative ends, making them soluble in water, examples include water and hydrogen chloride
• Intramolecular forces are forces of electrostatic attraction within a molecule, holding the molecule together through covalent or ionic bonds
• Intermolecular forces are forces of electrostatic attraction between molecules, weaker than intramolecular forces, affected by physical changes like temperature, examples include London dispersion forces
• Functional groups are groups of atoms bonded to the carbon skeleton that give molecules certain properties

  • Examples: Hydroxyl group (OH) in alcohols, Carbonyl group (C=O) in aldehydes or ketones, Carboxyl group (COOH) in carboxylic acids
• Nonpolar molecules have symmetrically arranged atoms and electrons

  • Examples: Methane, Oxygen, Carbon dioxide
• Polar molecules have an asymmetrical arrangement of atoms leading to partial positive and negative ends

  • Examples: Water (H2O), Hydrogen chloride (HCl)
• Van der Waals forces, including charged nucleus and London dispersion forces, hold nonpolar molecules together
• Van der Waals forces are sometimes referred to as van der Waals forces
• Intramolecular forces are forces of electrostatic attraction within a molecule

  • Hold the molecule together through bonds
  • Example: Covalent bond in hydrogen chloride
• In nonpolar molecules, there are repulsive and attractive forces at play, similar to London forces
• Electrons are negatively charged and repel each other, but are also attracted to the nucleus of adjacent atoms
• Intermolecular forces are forces of electrostatic attraction between molecules

  • Weaker than intramolecular forces
  • Can be affected by physical changes like temperature
  • Example: London dispersion forces (van der Waals forces) in nonpolar molecules
• Dipole-dipole forces are stronger than London forces and occur between polar molecules
• Negative dipoles are attracted to positive dipoles in dipole-dipole forces
• Hydrogen bonding is the strongest intermolecular force
• Van der Waals forces, including charged nucleus and London dispersion forces, hold nonpolar molecules together
• Hydrogen bonding is a type of dipole-dipole interaction between a hydrogen atom in one molecule and fluorine, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, or phosphorus in another molecule
• Van der Waals forces are sometimes referred to as van der Waals forces
• Water exhibits hydrogen bonding, giving it unique properties
• Hydrophilic molecules are water-loving and include polar molecules and ionic compounds
• In nonpolar molecules, there are repulsive and attractive forces at play, similar to London forces
• Hydrophobic molecules repel water and are attracted to other nonpolar molecules
• Electrons are negatively charged and repel each other, but are also attracted to the nucleus of adjacent atoms
• Water is considered the universal solvent because more substances can dissolve in water than any other liquid