ORGANIC AND INORGANIC COMPOUNDS

• Types of compounds

  • Inorganic compounds
  • Organic compounds
• Inorganic compounds

  Compounds without carbon
• Organic compounds

  Compounds containing carbon or carbon-hydrogen bonds
• Water is the body's most abundant substance
• Functions of water

  • Forms polar covalent bonds
  • Acts as a lubricant
  • Enters into chemical reactions
  • Maintains constant temperature
• Electrolytes


  Compounds whose molecules consist of cations and anions that ionize in solution
• Acids


  Ionize into hydrogen ions (H+) and anions
• Bases

  Ionize into hydroxide ions and cations
• Salts

  Form when acids react with bases
• Body fluids must attain acid-base balance to maintain homeostasis
• Acidity


  Determined by the number of hydrogen ions present
• Carbohydrates

  Compounds that release and store energy
• Types of carbohydrates

  • Monosaccharides
  • Disaccharides
  • Polysaccharides
• Monosaccharides

  Sugars with three to seven carbon atoms
• Disaccharides

  Contain two monosaccharides
• Polysaccharides


  Large carbohydrates with many monosaccharides
• Lipids

  Water-insoluble biomolecules
• Major lipids

  • Triglycerides
  • Phospholipids
  • Steroids
  • Lipoproteins
  • Eicosanoids
• Triglycerides


  Most abundant lipid that insulates and protects
• Phospholipids


  Major structural components of cell membranes
• Steroids

  Simple lipids with no fatty acids
• Cholesterol


  Part of animal cell membranes needed to form all other steroids
• Proteins


  Most abundant organic compound in the body composed of amino acids
• Amino acids


  Building blocks of proteins linked by peptide bonds
• Polypeptide


  Formed by many amino acids linked together
• Functions of proteins

  • Providing structure and protection
  • Promoting muscle contraction
  • Transporting substances
  • Regulating processes
  • Serving as enzymes
• Nucleic acids

  Composed of nitrogenous bases, sugars, and phosphate groups
• DNA


  Primary hereditary molecule with a double-helix shape
• RNA

  Single-chain structure that transmits genetic information
• RNA guides protein synthesis from amino acids